Reborn
by Tsunami Storm
Summary: After Naraku was finally defeated, Inuyasha and company thought their battles were over. Boy, were they wrong. Pairings: InuKag, MirSan, SesshXRin (father/daughter relationship) and one-sided KikyoxInuyasha. Rated K-plus for Inu's mouth.
1. The Right Wish

Hi, FF . net! It's me again! Starting in yet another universe, Inuyasha! Okay, so this takes place right after Naraku bites the dust. Yay! *gets a rock thrown at her by Sesshomaru* OW! That hurt!

Sesshomaru: Stick to the subject, human.

Me: Right. Sorry! Okay, all canon pairings hold, Miroku-Sango, Inuyasha-Kagome, (Some one-sided Inuyasha-Kikyo, but she's dead now.) Koga-Ayame, Sesshomaru-Rin– *gets another rock thrown at her* OW! I meant as a kind of father/daughter relationship! Sheesh! You're so violent!

"Speech"

_Thoughts_

[Author's Comments] not (usually) a part of the story and CAN be ignored

Scene changes represented by solid lines

Time-skips (but within the same scene) represented by ellipsis marks

Translations (and other comments) found at the bottom ;)

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, Rumiko Takahashi takes the credit on that one. The only thing I own is the plot of this not-so-little story. XD

Read, Enjoy, and REVIEW!

Reborn chapter 1: The Right Wish

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><p>"We did it! We did it! Naraku's <em>finally<em> gone!" Shippo celebrated as everyone smiled down at him and his 'antics'. As if in answer, Miroku unbound the prayer beads from his right forearm and removed the cloth that sealed his Wind Tunnel. He gasped in shock as the cursed hole grew weaker and started to diminish in size. He winced a little from the pain as the black hole sealed itself, but then his face softened as the Kazaana(1) finally disappeared, for good this time. With a sigh of relief, Miroku sat down on the rim of the Bone-Eater's Well, looking up at the sky in boundless thanks.

"Houshi-sama(2)? What's wrong?" the taijiya(3) Sango asked, returning her faithful Hiraikotsu(4) to its place on her back.

"It's gone, Sango. My Wind Tunnel is no more." the monk answered, a few tears of joy budding in his eyes. "Oh, houshi-sama!" Sango cried, tackling the surprised monk to the ground in a hug. Then the two warriors both started laughing, laughing because they were finally free.

Inuyasha and Kagome grinned at each other as they watched their friends celebrate. Turning pensive for a moment, the dog hanyou(5) thought to himself, _I've avenged you, Kikyo._

Kagome watched her friends happily, a smile of relief illuminating her features. Unbeknownst to her, a dark hole opened up behind her, intending to draw her into the darkness. Inuyasha gasped when he saw the Meido(6), and reached out to grab her hand in his, to pull her back to this dimension. "Kagome!" the half-demon cried.

"Inuyasha!" the girl cried back in sudden fear. She tried to reach her love's hand, but her fingers fell just short of his, just a hair's breadth of air between their tips. Everyone else could only watch in horror as the void swallowed their closest friend. Just as it was about to close, however, a long chain snaked its way around Kagome's ankle and tethered her to the mortal world as the path to the Underworld disappeared completely.

As one, the eyes of the group followed the chain to its source, where a grim Kohaku was holding his weapon as if his life depended on it. When he noticed that all eyes were on him, the young demonslayer blushed, saying, "Miss Kagome has saved me many times. I think it's time I started returning the favor."

Sango's eyes shone with pride at her little brother, both for his skillful act and the attitude behind it. Before she could comment on it however, Inuyasha growled, "Okay, okay. That _was_ a pretty impressive stunt the kid just pulled, but how 'bout we _act_ on it? Let's get Kagome back!"

"Hold, Inuyasha!" Kaede shouted suddenly, causing everyone present to freeze for a moment. "There be yet a task that Kagome need complete. Once that be accomplished, _then_ ye may pull her back by way of Kohaku's chain and sickle."

* * *

><p><em>The Sacred Jewel!<em> Kagome thought to herself as she floated in the blackness, staring at the rose-colored ball, one of her Sacred Arrows through its center. _If I make the right wish, the Sacred Jewel will disappear forever. But– what should it be?_ the miko(7) wondered. Thousands of scenarios flashed through her mind, including a ridiculous one in which she and Sango were on a pristine beach –possibly in the South Pacific– while Inuyasha and Miroku –both shirtless– were treating them to back massages. "Kagome-chan(8)?" the dream-Sango asked. "Yeah, Sango-chan?" Kagome answered. "Best. Wish. Ever." the contented demonslayer sighed as her boyfriend started on her shoulders, his right hand curse-free and whole like his left hand.

Kagome rolled her eyes at the paradise-like scenario, but then shook her head wildly to clear her thoughts. She vaguely felt some foreign object wound around her ankle, but when she looked down, all she could see was her white knee-socks and brown shoes, the same as always. _Huh. That's weird,_ she thought to herself.

Turning her thoughts back to the task at hand, Kagome mused, _That wouldn't be the right wish– It's selfish, not to mention immature. Ugh! I wish the Shikon Jewel had never existed– Wait. That's it!_

"Shikon no Tama(9), kierunasai eien ni!(10)!" Kagome cried, and the jewel and arrow dispersed into oblivion in a flash of white light. Midoriko's soul was finally freed, as were the souls of the demons that she'd been constantly battling for hundreds of years.

* * *

><p>"Argh! I can't take it anymore! She's gotta be done by <em>now<em>!" an exceedingly-impatient Inuyasha complained. "I agree, my friend. It's time we brought Kagome back to us." Miroku stated, walking over to the young demonslayer Kohaku and taking hold of the chain above his hands. Soon all the others joined in, even Kirara, who held the chain links between her sharp teeth.

"All right, everyone. Pull on three–" Inuyasha commanded, then he shouted, "THREE!"

The group of friends –humans and demons alike– pulled as one on the chain that kept Kagome tethered to this world. To everyone's jaw-dropping shock, _Sesshomaru_ took his place in front of Kirara and added his own considerable strength, growling quietly, "She saved Rin. I'm repaying my debt."

"Sugoi(11), Sesshomaru-sama! You're so thoughtful, my lord!" Rin called from A-Un's back, her dark eyes shining with wonder. Jaken merely stood by in disbelieving silence, his mouth open wide with surprise.

The group of eight pulled with all their might, and their efforts did not go unrewarded. A small Meido opened around the chain, and the young woman from the future returned to Feudal Japan.

"Kagome!" a chorus of seven voices cried, and they ran over to greet her. Sesshomaru scoffed and rolled his eyes, then said quietly, "Come Rin, Jaken. We're leaving."

"Yes my lord!" Rin chirped brightly from A-Un's saddle, then the small company turned and traveled to the west, unseen and unnoticed by all.

"Kagome! Are you all right? Are you hurt at all?" a concerned hanyou asked, checking his closest friend for any evidence of wounds on her person. Kagome laughed at his enthusiasm, but waved her hand, saying, "Stop it, Inuyasha. I'm fine. The Shikon Jewel is gone, Naraku's been destroyed, and this miasma should go away fairly quickly. We can all live in peace now!" the miko sighed, relieved that it was all over.

Looking over at Kohaku, Kagome began, "Thank you, Kohaku, you saved me. If it weren't for your quick action, I–" but then stopped when the boy dropped to his knees and flopped backwards, his eyes closed. Sango gasped, but then she smiled when she saw the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest. "He's fine." the taijiya assured her concerned companions with a chuckle. "He's just exhausted after that battle. Actually, we should follow his example and rest. It's been a long day."

"Don't mind if I do, Sango." Shippo yawned, then his legs buckled under him and he flopped backwards on the ground, asleep before his head even touched the dirt. Everyone chuckled at that, then Inuyasha put the unconscious Kohaku on Kirara's back, and Miroku carried the sleeping kitsune(12) back to priestess Kaede's house.

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><p>Two weeks later–<p>

"Ah, here it is! I knew we'd find it again!" Kagome announced happily, staring out at the deep blue ocean from her spot on the white sand of the beach. She stretched and sighed in contentment, smiling at her six companions, who were also enjoying the warm summer day. In fact, it was so hot that Inuyasha was actually panting, sitting down on the hot sand and trying unsuccessfully to cool off. He had removed his outer robe –the one woven from the fur of the Fire Rat– and Miroku had removed the purple portion of his robes and laid it on an old, fallen tree trunk.

"Whew! It's warm today, huh, Kagome?" Shippo asked, taking off his outer vest and flinging it toward the tree trunk. Surprisingly, the wind carried the small article of clothing so that it hung itself right on a protruding branch, neat as you please. Kohaku and Sango laughed and applauded at the fox demon's 'skillful' throw, and the little youkai(13) took a mock bow at the praise.

"It sure is hot, Shippo." Kagome agreed distractedly, fishing in her enormous yellow backpack for some unknown item, most likely one from her time. "Aha!" the miko exclaimed suddenly, pulling another drawstring bag from the bottom of the bigger one. "Found it!" she grinned triumphantly, opening the cloth bag and removing what looked like a demonslayer's outfit, but without arms and legs. "Sango, catch!" Kagome called, tossing a rolled-up blanket and the bizarre piece of clothing to the confused taijiya. "It's a swimsuit and towel. I thought we'd have fun at the beach today, since the weather is so nice!" she explained.

"Inuyasha, this red one is for you, and Miroku, yours is this purple and black one," she continued. "Shippo, this blue pair of trunks is for you. I had a hard time finding one small enough!" she laughed, tossing the swimming trunks to their appropriate recipients, along with towels. "Kohaku, catch!" The boy caught the swimming apparel out of the air and examined it, his trunks gold with sea-green stripes, like his armor.

"You boys can change on the beach. We girls will be behind those rocks. Come on Kirara." Kagome called, motioning for Sango to come with her. As the two girls and cat demon disappeared around the corner, Sango called back, "And no peeking, Miroku!"

The monk assumed a wounded expression, replying, "Sango, I'm hurt that you would actually _suggest_ that. I would never even _think_ of doing such a thing!" he pouted, to snorts of disbelief and amusement from Inuyasha and Shippo, and chuckled answers of "Yeah right!" from the girls. Miroku laughed too, allowing that.

…

"So how do you put these on?" Inuyasha asked after a minute. "I don't know. Just like pants, I guess," Shippo answered, removing his own clothing and slipping on the trunks. "Hey! There's even a hole in the back for my tail to go through! Thanks, Kagome!" the kitsune called, to a muffled answer of "You're welcome, Shippo!" The three other boys soon managed to change into their own swimwear, and Miroku had just finished laying out his beach towel when the girls emerged. Kagome was wearing her yellow-and-orange-striped one-piece, and Sango walked out in a black-and-rose-colored one-piece with a pink skirt about her waist. Diamonds were artfully cut into the fabric at her middle and on her lower back and shoulder-blades, showing off tanned, surprisingly scar-free skin. Inuyasha wolf-whistled appreciatively, and Sango blushed while Kagome raised a surprised, inquiring eyebrow. "What?" the hanyou replied. "Some guy in your time did it when you walked by. I didn't like him. It made me feel jealous."

Kagome went red a little at that, but she was still smiling. After a minute, she found a small inner tube in her bag and inflated it for Shippo, and the friends played in the surf for hours, splashing each other and having the time of their lives. Suddenly Kagome grinned mischievously and whispered into Kirara's ear, who was floating with Shippo and away from the water. The cat demon transformed and flew above the water, Kagome on her back. When they were at a high enough altitude, Kagome shouted, "Cannonball!" and jumped into the ocean, effectively drenching everyone with saltwater.

"Hey! Ya got water in my mouth!" Inuyasha spluttered in complaint as the rest of the gang laughed. "That's why you keep your mouth _closed_, genius!" Kagome teased, playfully splashing him with her hand. What followed was an all-out war of splashes, each player for themselves. Kirara retreated back to the beach, as she normally did not like swimming unless she had to. She watched her friends and companions having fun for a while, then she resumed her kitten form and curled up on the fallen log, resting in the warm sun.

…

"This was a great idea, Kagome." Miroku complimented hours later as the gang lay on their respective towels, drying off and sunning themselves on the beach. Kagome had brought some sunblock lotion too, as nobody likes walking around with a sunburn. "We really needed a break like this." he continued.

"Yeah. After all that crazy stuff with Naraku and the jewel shards, it's nice to finally have a little vacation." Kagome answered, laying back on her own towel and sighing in contentment. "Speaking of Naraku–" Kagome continued, rolling onto her side to look at the monk, "Now that he's gone, what are you gonna do with your life, Miroku?"

The monk thought for a moment, then answered, "I guess I'll just go back to what I was doing before I met you guys. Traveling around, exorcising evil demons and spirits, blessing towns– that kind of thing." he shrugged calmly, twisting his staff in his hand.

"No womanizing though, right, houshi-sama?" a reproving Sango prompted, eyeing her fiancé carefully.

"Right. Those days are far behind me now. Why would I flirt with another when the perfect woman for me is right by my side?" a grinning Miroku asked rhetorically, earning himself a kiss on the cheek from the smiling taijiya.

_That's a switch–_ Inuyasha thought to himself. _He usually gets a _slap_ on the cheek, not a _smooch_._ Out loud he said, "I think I'll come with you, Miroku. Things're gonna be pretty boring otherwise, and I'll be able to keep you outta trouble."

Miroku grinned, then replied, "The more the merrier, my friend! You are welcome to accompany me."

Just then they heard an annoyed tone from behind them. "Inuyasha–" Kagome asked in a threatening tone, "What do you mean, 'pretty boring'?"

"Well, you know–" the clueless hanyou answered, raising his palms. "If you're gonna be a priestess like Kikyo, there won't be nuthin' for me to do in just that one village. Like I said: Boring. With a capital 'B'."

A vein showed on Kagome's temple, and she growled, "Osuwari(14)!" The last thing that could be heard was Inuyasha's annoyed gasp as his face was rudely introduced to the sand by the subjugation beads. Shippo shook his head as the others sweatdropped, muttering, "Idiot."

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><p><span>End of chapter (Episode) 1<span>

Next chapter teaser: Goodbyes

I didn't really like how Inuyasha: The Final Act ended, so I'm re-writing it!

I 'borrowed' an idea from a genius on Deviantart again, this one by name of 'righteousred'. His/her drawing of 'Chap. 558- MORE Deleted Scenes' is hilarious! (and smokin' hot!)

Translations (for those who need it) below:

**Kazaana** – Wind Tunnel. Miroku's generational curse in his right hand, brought upon the males in his family by Naraku.

**Houshi-sama** – Honorable monk. A term primarily used by Sango to refer to Miroku.

**Taijiya** – Demonslayer (female or male).

**Hiraikotsu** – Sango's demon-bone boomerang.

**Hanyou** – Half-demon, half-human hybrid. Like Inuyasha, Jinenji, Shiori, Naraku, Gyuou…etc.

**Meido/Meido Zangetsuha!** – Dark Path Cutting Moon. One of Inuyasha's attacks with his sword. Creates a path to the netherworld that looks like a full moon.

**Miko** – Human priestess. Like Kagome, Kaede, Kikyo or Tsubaki.

**-chan** – Polite honorific used to address a female friend. Also close friends and a boyfriend/girlfriend. (Thank you, Nekokittygirl!)

**Shikon no Tama** – Jewel of Four Souls, the Sacred Jewel. Grants one wish of the user, whether good or evil.

**Kierunasai eien ni!** – Please disappear forever!

**Sugoi** – Wow, amazing, astonishing, astounding, surprising, stunning, breathtaking, awesome, awe-inspiring, sensational, remarkable, spectacular, stupendous, phenomenal, extraordinary, incredible…etc. (You get the idea.)

**Kitsune** – Little fox demon.

**Youkai** – full-fledged, pure-blooded demon. Almost any demon you can think of except for Inuyasha, Jinenji, Naraku, or any of his incarnations.

**Osuwari!** – Sit!/Sit boy! The subjugation command Kagome uses on Inuyasha when he does or says something stupid.

Tsunami Storm


	2. Goodbyes

Here's chapter 2! *dodges another rock thrown by you-know-who* HA! Missed me! *gets conked by another one* Ouch–

Sesshomaru: No jokes, human. Stick to the subject!

Me (dizzily): EEP! Okay, this story has a letter in it, so letters will be in _"italic quotes"_. It also has some very humorous lines from Inuyasha and some cheesy/romantic ones from Miroku-sama.

Me (whispers): Why did I get stuck with grumpy 'fluffy-sama' for a muse? If this is someone's idea of a joke, I'm not laughing! You can have him, fangirls!

Read, Enjoy, and REVIEW!

Reborn chapter 2: Goodbyes

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><p>3 weeks later–<p>

"All right Miroku, let's get going while we still have some daylight!" the impatient hanyou called as he tapped his claws on the fence.

"Inuyasha, the sun rose only an hour ago! You can wait a few more minutes." Kagome laughed. She looked over at the monk and taijiya, who were saying their goodbyes.

"Stay safe houshi-sama, and be careful." a tearful Sango asked of her new husband. "I will, Sango. And may Buddha and the good spirits of this world watch over you." the monk answered, embracing his wife and kissing her cheek one last time. "We'll visit often, I promise." he vowed, bending down and ruffling Shippo's hair.

"I'll protect Sango, Miroku! I'll protect everyone in this village!" the kitsune promised, placing a fist over his heart. Miroku laughed and nodded. "All right, Shippo. I'll leave everything to you. Protecting a whole village is a big job, but I know a strong demon like you can handle it." the monk praised, causing the little fox demon to stand tall with pride.

"All right, everyone. We're off. See you soon!" the monk called as he and Inuyasha walked off. "You'd better keep outta trouble, Kagome!" the hanyou shouted back, drawing his Tetsusaiga(1) and supporting it on his shoulder. Sango watched them go, a confused expression on her face. "_That_ was rude. I was half-expecting you to tell him to 'Sit'." the demonslayer commented, turning to Kagome.

"Nah. You're right Sango, it _was_ kinda rude, but that's just how Inuyasha is. It's how _he_ says 'Stay safe'." the miko shrugged, watching as her boyfriend and best friend disappeared behind a hill in the road. "The words and tone may come off as rude, but it's the _thought_ that counts." Kagome sighed, her emotions a battle between sadness and happiness. On the one hand, she was sad that their fellowship was breaking up, but on the other hand, she was proud of the red-clad half-demon. He was willingly accompanying Miroku to help humans, something he would never have done when she had first met him.

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><p>One hour later–<p>

"Ugh–" a female voice could be heard from priestess Kaede's house. "Oh. Be ye ill, Sango?" Lady Kaede asked the nauseated demonslayer. The taijiya cleaned out her mouth with some cool water, then answered, "No Kaede. Just a short bout of nausea. It'll pass soon." she answered, sitting down on the wood floor of Kaede's hut. She thought to herself, _What could this mean? I've never been sick like this before, and I've never missed a day of my– 'unclean period'. Hm. Maybe it was something I ate–_ she mused, shrugging her shoulders.

Kagome and Shippo were out in the herb garden, gathering various plants for cures and poultices. The kitsune looked over at Kaede's house and commented, "Sango's sure been in there a long time. I hope she's all right." as he bent down again to pluck more weeds. "She and Miroku have been spending a lot of time alone together, too. What could that mean?"

Kagome snickered to herself, amused at the naive boy's observation. "She's all right, Shippo. I'll tell you when you're older. It's all a part of growing up." she explained, smiling to herself at the thought of the things to come. _Miroku's gonna be a father!_ the miko exclaimed mentally, almost squealing with delight. _It explains the morning sickness, and she and Miroku have been alone together a lot since the wedding. I'm so happy for them!_

Kagome stood to her feet, then carried the half-basket of herbs into the hut to dry them. "Shippo, why don't you go practice your fox magic for a bit? Kaede and I need to have a little 'girl talk' with Sango for a while."

"I know! I'll practice my transformations!" the kitsune exclaimed, scampering off to find a good spot. Kagome smiled as she watched the small youkai disappear over the hill, then re-entered the hut with the elderly priestess.

* * *

><p>Later that evening–<p>

"Oh, thank you for coming, master monk!" the headman exclaimed. "Our poor village has been plagued by spiderheads for many a moon now. Please use your power to free our beleaguered village!"

"Certainly, my good man. We'll get to work at once!" Miroku answered with a bow, his right hand parallel with his chest-bone and his left hand armed with his staff. "Inuyasha?" he called to his friend, who was visibly itching to fight something. The half-demon looked over, and the monk grinned. "Let's have some fun with this." he suggested, dark eyes glinting mischievously and staff lowered for attack.

"Best words I've heard all day!" the hanyou shot back, a grin present on his face as well. "Tonight spiderheads will roll!"

"Good one, Inuyasha!" Miroku laughed at the witty remark, then taunted, "Whoever kills the least buys dinner!"

"You're on, monk. Hope you've got extra change, cuz I'm gonna work up _quite_ an appetite!"

"Not if _I_ get there first!"

"Bring it on, slowpoke!"

The village elder and headman shook his head, murmuring, "I never thought I'd see the day that a _monk_ and a _demon_ would work side-by-side as best friends– truly this world is full of incomprehensible mysteries." Then he returned to his house on the top of the hill.

…

Later the next evening, Miroku and Inuyasha were piling up the spiderhead carcasses so they could be burned. Inuyasha was sitting on his final kill, smirking smugly, and Miroku was dragging the headless, legless trunk of a spiderhead to the enormous pile. Flinging it to the top of the heap, Miroku wiped the sweat off his brow with the back of his hand, then examined his staff, standing right in front of Inuyasha.

"Final count for the battle: 99 spiderheads." Miroku announced matter-of-factly, with just a hint of pride in his voice. The two friends had worked hard in this battle, not even taking notice of the sun's journey, so focused were they on their task. Now that it was over, they could enjoy a night of rest and relaxation.

"99?" Inuyasha asked, feigning amazement, but doing it very well. "That's not bad for a mere _mortal_ such as yourself." Then he smirked mischievously. "I myself am sittin' pretty on an even _one hundred_. Literally!" he announced smugly, gesturing to his defeated, underfoot opponent, the Tetsusaiga pierced through its skull.

Miroku glanced at the seemingly defeated spiderhead for a moment, then without warning leapt up and drove his staff into the beast's heart, which just happened to be right where Inuyasha had been sitting seconds ago.

"One hundred." Miroku said with a grin to his flummoxed friend as he brushed off his robes.

"What'd you do _that_ for? He was already dead!" the hanyou spluttered.

"He was twitching." Miroku explained as he eyed the arachna-youkai warily.

"_'He was twitching_,_'_" Inuyasha repeated in a mocking impersonation, "because he's got _my_ Tetsusaiga embedded in his nervous system! Duh! That one doesn't count. You're still at 99, so _you're_ buying dinner tonight!" the triumphant hanyou declared, nearly poking Miroku with the claw of his index finger.

_I'm surprised he knew that term. Lady Kagome must have told him that. _Then he chuckled quietly._ I guess you _can_ teach an old dog new tricks! Who knew?_

"What nonsense is this?" the headman asked, walking up to the boys. "You boys worked very hard, and have rid us of these despicable spiderheads. The _least_ we can do in gratitude is offer a free meal and beds for the night."

"Thank you, sir. The offer is much appreciated!" Miroku stated with another bow. Inuyasha grimaced and muttered quietly, "Uh– yeah. What he said." Then the monk and hanyou followed the headman to his house.

* * *

><p>"I'm WHAT?" a shocked Sango asked, staring at Kagome and Kaede with her mouth open.<p>

"All the signs are there, Sango. You missed your first period, and the morning sickness is starting. You're gonna be a mother, Sango!"

"I– I– but– I–" Sango spluttered, not knowing what to say, or how to say it.

"Just relax, Sango-chan. Breathe. It's okay!" Kagome laughed, taking the nonplussed taijiya's hands in hers. "We'll be here for you through it all, no matter what." the miko promised.

"Thanks, Kagome. Kaede-ba-chan(2)." the demonslayer sighed, calming herself and breathing evenly. _But how will I tell Miroku?_

* * *

><p>"Houshi-sama? Would you care for another drink?" an extremely beautiful young woman asked the monk, who was struggling to keep his hands to himself for once. After all, he <em>was<em> married now. And he had promised Sango.

"No, thank you." he answered carefully and politely, actually sitting on his right hand. "I would prefer not to wake up with a headache tomorrow."

"Aww okay." the woman answered in disappointment as she danced away, setting down the bottle of sake(3) and twirling in an intricate dance that she and her sisters had prepared. "Are not my daughters the most beautiful in the land?" the drunken headman cried happily, raising his sake cup and leaning on Miroku's shoulder. "_You're_ a handsome young man. Why don't you stay and marry one of my lovely girls?" the inebriated old man laughed, falling backwards suddenly and snoring before his head hit the floor.

At their father's suggestion, all the dancing girls ran over and surrounded the surprised monk, saying, "Ooh, pick me, houshi-sama!" "No, me!" "I would _gladly_ bear your child, master monk!" "Don't listen to her, she's a floozy. Pick me!" No, me!" "No, _me_!"

_Spirits above!_ Miroku thought to himself as he sweatdropped. _It's as if this house was specifically set up as a temptation test for me. Still, I must exercise both willpower– and finesse._ "I am flattered by your offers, ladies, but I'm afraid my heart already belongs to another." the monk stated loyally, keeping his thoughts on his wife.

_Wow. He must _really_ love Sango._ Inuyasha mused as he bit off a chunk of his dumpling and all the girls groaned in disappointment. _I didn't think _any_ human man could've resisted _that_, much less a lecher like Miroku._ He was a bit miffed that the headman hadn't asked _him_, but then reasoned that his demonic attributes were rather off-putting for most humans. _Obviously that _wasn't_ the case with Kagome. But then, when has that girl _ever_ followed the pattern for 'normal'?_ he chuckled as he mentally envisioned the night they met.

Finally getting annoyed with all the squealing and renewed pleading, Inuyasha walked up to the gaggle of giggling girls and remarked, "S'cuse me ladies, but I need to 'borrow' my friend for a moment." Then with all the courtesy of a gentleman, he grabbed the back of the neck of Miroku's robes and dragged him outside of the house, leaving Miroku both relieved and embarrassed at his less-than-impressive exit.

When the boys had finally extricated themselves, Inuyasha muttered, "Sorry if I choked you or anything, but all that squealing was getting to me. And there was enough perfume in that room to make ya pass out." He looked at Miroku, theatrically plugging his nose and making his eyes turn into swirlies.

Miroku chuckled, but then turned serious again. "Don't worry about it, Inuyasha. It was a welcome interruption." the monk answered, but rubbed his neck a little where his robes had rubbed against it. "I was about to go out for some 'fresh air' anyway."

"More like 'come up for air'. You looked like you were drowning in there." the hanyou stated, then they both laughed. As they were laughing, they noticed a boy–aged about thirteen–slip out of another door and tiptoe away from them, entering what looked like a gigantic indoor garden of dried herbs. _Jeez,_ Inuyasha thought to himself. _It's like an apothecary. Reminds me of all the herbs that Kikyo was constantly gathering and drying._

"Wonder what _he's_ up to at this hour?" he whispered aloud, and the boys silently followed the mysterious boy, guided by the light of the full moon. They remained unseen as the teenager left the room and entered the one from which he'd emerged earlier. The two curious boys followed him in, then slipped into the darkness as he quickly slid the door shut.

"Shh, Kosuke. She's sleeping." a woman's voice whispered.

"I'm sorry, aunt Kaoru. I've brought the herbs."

"Thank you, Kosuke. You are such a comfort to me. Oh! It seems you have two more shadows than usual tonight."

"Huh?" the teen answered, then jumped when he spotted Miroku and Inuyasha. "You scared me! Oh, it's the honored guests. Uh, welcome. I'm Kosuke, the headman's nephew. This is my aunt, Kaoru."

The woman bowed in greeting, and Inuyasha nodded while Miroku mimicked the woman's action. "What's with the kid in the bed?" Inuyasha blurted rather rudely, earning himself an elbow from Miroku.

"Forgive my friend's abrupt manner. What he meant was, 'what seems to be the problem with the young child'?" the monk asked in concern while Inuyasha rubbed his rib. The woman Kaoru dabbed the six-year-old girl's forehead with a cool, wet cloth and answered, "Shizuka was bitten by a small demon spider this morning. We have tried everything, but her fever just keeps getting worse. She is my youngest, the last of my seven beautiful daughters, but my husband doesn't see her that way. He says she is bad luck, for ill circumstances always seem to befall her. She is plain in his eyes, but in mine she is the most beautiful star of all."

Miroku knelt next to the child too, and remarked, "She is not plain in my eyes either, my lady, but her face looks horribly swollen."

"Yes. We think it is from the spider venom, but we can't make it go down, any more than the fever." Kosuke answered, worried for his young cousin.

"Where was she bitten?" Miroku asked, and the mother lifted the opposite end of the blanket to reveal the girl's feet. "On her right ankle, master monk." Kaoru answered. Miroku reached into his robe and drew out several sutras, two of which he placed above and below the bite, and the third on the girl's forehead. "The sutra on her brow should bring her fever down, and the ones around her ankle will pull the poison back to the bite area, where I can draw it out. That should bring down the swelling as well."

"Thank you, houshi-sama!" Kosuke and Kaoru whispered, their eyes shining. Miroku nodded solemnly, then began reciting a prayer for the girl, to help her heal. Slowly but surely–thanks to Miroku's sutras and prayer–the swelling in the six-year-old's face receded, and Miroku thought she looked like a young Sango, albeit with short hair. Her pale cheeks were no longer flushed, and her brow was not drenched in sweat, as it had been before.

Inuyasha sniffed at the air, then observed, "That's creepy. I can actually track the venom's path through her body with my sense of smell. And boy does it smell awful!" he complained, holding his nose and frowning.

"Hey Inuyasha, maybe we can use that!" Miroku whispered excitedly. At a disagreeable look from his friend, he crossed his arms and stated, "This could be the only way to save her. I need you to sit down near her leg and tell me when the venom smells the strongest–that is when it is concentrated in the bite area."

"Fine. But you owe me one, Miroku." the half-demon agreed grumpily, flopping down next to the monk and sniffing again. "Eww. It's pretty strong already!" he complained.

"I've never heard _anyone_ complain as much as you do, Inuyasha." Miroku teased. "And I thought demons were supposed to be tough!" he provoked, winking at Kosuke and Kaoru, who were looking alarmed at the sudden revelation of Inuyasha's identity.

"Oh we're tough, all right!" Inuyasha snapped back, falling for the ribbing. "Why don't we take this outside and see just how 'tough' I am?"

Miroku laughed. "Maybe later, my friend. We'll have a sparring match tomorrow. But for now we must focus on saving little Shizuka."

"Fine." the half-demon grumbled, then sniffed again. "It's almost all in her ankle now. Pee-yew! Smells like sour, rotten eggs and decaying flesh." But he kept to the task. For all his complaining, he wanted to make sure he was accurate; to save this young, innocent life.

…

"All right. It's all in her ankle now." Inuyasha stated after a tense minute. But when Miroku bent over the child's leg, he shouted, "Wait a minute, what on earth're you doin'?"

"I'm going to suck the poison out. It's the only way to do it. Unless you have a better idea?" Hearing none, the monk put his mouth over the wound and began to draw out the poison, spitting it into a glass vial that Kagome had given to him before they left. _Maybe Kagome can examine this for her 'science class' in her era._ the monk thought. However, he missed the vial with the last of the venom, and it hit the floor instead, burning a hole right through the wood in seconds. "Whoa! Better be careful with this stuff. It's dangerous!" Inuyasha cried, leaning away from the hole.

The monk nodded, making sure to get all the lethal venom out of his mouth and into the vial. After about ten minutes, the little girl stirred, and Miroku removed the sutras and replaced her blankets. The girl fluttered her big green eyes and looked around the room in confusion. Spotting Kaoru, the girl wailed, "Mommy!" and hugged her around the waist. "Thank you, master Miroku. You've saved my daughter's life with your quick thinking and brave deed. How can I ever repay you?"

"It was nothing. Just consider it my 'thank-you' for your _very_ warm and open hospitality. This extends to your husband and other daughters as well." He bowed then and stood up to leave. As he walked out the door to retire for the night, he froze and turned back, saying, "But if you insist on repaying me, there _is_ one thing that you could do for me–"

* * *

><p>''I'm looking for the demonslayer Sango and the priestess Kagome!" a traveler called, standing near Kaede's house in the small village. A confused taijiya and miko stepped out of the hut, wondering who this nondescript man could be. "This is Sango, and I'm Kagome. Why did you need us, sir?"<p>

"Ah, good day to you both, gentle ladies." the man bowed, producing a pair of packages and a scroll and presenting them to the girls. "This letter and packages are for you. I was instructed to deliver them with both the utmost care and speed. I ran for two days straight!" he announced proudly, swaying a little on his feet. He removed his hat, and the girls saw that the man was actually a boy, appearing to be no more than seventeen years old. Kagome and Sango immediately insisted that the young man go inside and rest, and the teenager agreed gratefully. Surprisingly, Kagome thought that the young man looked like one of her classmates from the future, one well-known for his speed and endurance on their track team.

"Hey, these are from Miroku and Inuyasha!" Kagome noticed, perplexed that the boys would send them something. Kagome unrolled the scroll and Sango read over her shoulder.

_"My dearest Sango and Kagome,_

_I hope that this letter finds you well. We are doing well physically, but already my heart yearns to embrace you in my arms again, my lovely Sango._

_Amidst our travels, we came upon a town plagued by spiderheads. Inuyasha asks Kagome and Shippo if they recall 'the last encounter'. I am not sure what that means, as this event must have occurred before we met on that– 'interesting' day. As thanks for liberating the town, the headman's family gave us three exquisite kimonos. I immediately thought of you, Sango, and sent them off to you with all haste. May their beauty only add to your already brilliant radiance._

_There is also a small package for you, my dear Kagome. But do not misjudge its importance due to its size, for size is no guarantee for power. (Just look at Shippo and Kirara!) Inside, you will find a vial filled with the venom of a most fearsome spider-demon. One drop can melt through any organic or inorganic material within seconds, and when injected into a victim, it seems to cause extreme fever and swelling, full-body paralysis, quite a bit of pain, and appears to eat at the subject from the inside out. Fortunately we were able to save the six-year-old victim, and I thought that you could study this venom for your 'science class' in your era. Perhaps people in your time may even find an antidote to this admittedly frightening venom. Glass seems to be the only substance immune to it, so keep that vial safe at all times!_

_Again, we both miss you all, and wish you safety in all of your ventures. I hope we meet again soon!_

_Best wishes and much love,_

_Miroku and In_u_y_a_s_h_a"_

"Oh wow! These are beautiful!" Sango exclaimed, unfolding the top kimono and holding it high. "I can tell that they're made from the finest silk! They must've been really expensive."

"Yeah. They're wonderful!" Kagome answered, admiring the one Sango was examining. "Ooh, you would look great in this blue one, Sango!" she exclaimed, holding up a sky-blue one that was decorated with white, puffy clouds.

* * *

><p>As the girls fawned over the beautiful gifts, Shippo and Kirara were practicing battle tactics, in case of a demon attack. "Okay Kirara. Are you ready?" the kitsune asked his giant friend. The two-tailed cat nodded in confirmation, then both demons concentrated their energies. Kirara's was a sort of dark lilac, and Shippo's was a deep turquoise, about the same color as his Fox Fire.<p>

_All right. Sniff out where the two energies crash together._ Shippo thought to himself, remembering what Inuyasha had told him about the Wind Scar. The kitsune sniffed and 'saw' where the Wind Scar appeared, then brought his claws down and through the center of the clash, yelling as he did so, "Kaze no Tsume(4)!" Three deep furrows appeared in the ground where Kirara had been standing seconds ago. They weren't nearly as deep or as long as Inuyasha's attack with the Tetsusaiga, but the kitsune looked at his hands with a grin on his face. "Look out demons," he stated proudly, putting his hands on his hips. "There's a _new_ hero in town."

* * *

><p><span>End of chapter (Episode) 2<span>

Next chapter teaser: Frienemies and Nuisances

I know, I know. I used a line or two from J. R. R. Tolkien's 'Return of the King'. Just borrowing again. All credit for LotR goes to him. ;)

Sango's pregnant! Woohoo! Wonder what it'll be? *grins knowingly*

Our heroes have their first encounter with this mysterious demon spider's venom. (No, it's not Naraku.) Little do the boys know that it will be their first of many. *chuckles evilly*

Oh, and Inuyasha wanted to sign his own name in the letter, that's why I used a mixture of Italic and normal letters. His handwriting's not quite as neat as Miroku's. I get the feeling that 'penmanship' isn't very high on his list of skills to perfect. XD

Translations (for those who need it) below:

**Tetsusaiga/Tessaiga** – Sword of Earth, Inuyasha's blade, made from one of his father's fangs.

**Kaede-ba-chan** – Grandmother Kaede. Honorific used for an elderly woman. (I think. I'm not too good with keeping all these honorifics straight. XD)

**Sake** – Alcohol, booze, grog, hooch, liquor, whatever. Gives you a hangover. (My personal favorite synonym is 'the demon rum'. Heh. Geddit?)

**Kaze no Tsume** – 'Claw of the Wind'. My name for Shippo's new attack. (Not nearly as powerful as Inuyasha's, but Shippo's still young.)

Tsunami Storm


	3. Frienemies and Nuisances

Reborn, an Inuyasha fanfic by Tsunami Storm

Chapter 3: Frienemies and Nuisances

* * *

><p>About a week had passed since the girls had received news of their friends' adventures. Kagome had taken a small mini-vacation during this time and returned to the modern era to restock on supplies and study the vial of perplexing venom that the boys had sent to her. She had a friend from school whose father was a research scientist, so she gave him a small part of the venom to study and run experiments on. So far he hadn't found anything of note, but he promised that he'd notify her of any peculiar results.<p>

Now back in Feudal Japan, Kagome sighed as she helped priestess Kaede hang laundry in the cool summer breeze. The wind gaily played with her raven hair as it twirled about, ruffling the edges of the drying blankets and robes.

Suddenly the pace of the wind quickened, as if something had displaced it. Kagome and Kaede looked up in confusion, and both mikos gasped as none other than Sesshomaru descended from the sky, leading the two-headed dragon A-Un and his two passengers, Rin and Jaken. The youkai lord landed gracefully ten feet from the gaping humans, completely ignoring his nonplussed audience as he lifted young Rin from the tall dragon's saddle. Jaken stumbled off too, creating a small cloud of dust as he fell on his face, and the two-headed beast wandered off to nibble on some grass.

"Ohayo(1), Kagome-chan! Kaede-ba-chan!" Rin called cheerfully, waving energetically from her place at her lord's side. Shyly, Kagome returned the wave, happy to see the little girl but wary of the powerful demon beside her. The child gazed up at Sesshomaru for a moment, then at a small nod from him ran to greet the miko who had helped rescue her from Naraku. Kagome knelt on one knee as Rin practically crashed into her, then hugged the little girl back as she wrapped her small arms around Kagome's waist. "Hi, Rin. I'm glad to see that you're doing well." Kagome greeted when the little girl stepped back. Rin just beamed and skipped over to Kaede, giving her right leg a bear-hug.

By this time Sesshomaru and Jaken had approached, and Kagome stood to her feet and bowed low in greeting, not sure what to say to her boyfriend's older brother. Sesshomaru nodded infinitesimally to return her greeting, then stated in a bored voice, "I'm leaving Rin here, in this village. It's time she grew up around her own– kind." He grimaced as he uttered the last word, and Kagome knew why. The proud youkai was well-known for his disdain of humans, or half-humans like Inuyasha. But a few people knew that there was a soft spot in his heart of stone for Rin, the child who had changed his life.

"It's too dangerous for her to accompany me any longer. She is a weak human, and too young to understand her limitations." the demon lord continued, a scowl on his face. He avoided eye-contact with Kagome as much as possible, his pride pulling back the words he knew he needed to say. "When she's older, she can choose: Live among her own kind–as she should have from the start–or return to my service," he muttered, almost too quietly for Kagome to hear. "Until then–" he trailed off, unable to voice his last thought. His pride wouldn't allow it.

Kagome got the unspoken message anyway. "I understand, Sesshomaru-sama. We'll watch over her and keep her safe. You have my word." the miko promised, holding a hand over her heart to emphasize the vow. Seemingly satisfied, the youkai lord sniffed indifferently and turned on his heel, walking to where A-Un was grazing.

"Wait, Sesshomaru-sama! Wait for me!" Rin cried as she ran after the tall demon lord. "Stay here, Rin." was his only reply, and he grabbed the reins of his dragon and flew off, Jaken barely managing to grab the tail-end of the Mokomoko(2) that Sesshomaru always wore. Within minutes, the demon trio had disappeared into the sky, and Rin collapsed to her knees, tears flowing from her dark eyes like waterfalls.

"Lord Sesshomaru, why? Why did you leave me behind?" she wailed, staring at the spot where her idol and guardian had disappeared. "Don't- don't you like me anymore, Sesshomaru-sama?" she cried, sniffing as her nose started to run.

"He cares about you, Rin. Never doubt that." Kagome comforted. "He just doesn't want you to get hurt." She pulled a soft handkerchief from her pocket and handed it to the distraught girl, who blew her nose loudly. "He cares about you more than anyone else in the world. In fact," Kagome smiled, "I would even go so far as to say that he probably sees you as a daughter. He wants you to be safe and happy. That's why he left you here. To protect you."

Rin sniffled, looking up at the teenaged miko. "Will– but will he ever come back?" she asked, her eyes still shining with wet tears.

"Oh I'm sure he will." Kagome answered with a smile. "He's giving you a choice: To live among humans as you were born to, or to live among demons and return to him. But only when you're older, more prepared; stronger." she explained, trying to reiterate what Sesshomaru had told her.

"I wanna stay with him!" the little girl sobbed, fresh tears budding in her eyes as she started wailing again. "I wanna stay by his side forever!" she cried, sounding just a little bratty as she did so.

All of this crying and wailing unfortunately woke Sango, who had lain down to rest for a brief mid-morning nap. She had felt ill again this morning due to the development in her abdomen. Sango put a gentle hand over the area below her stomach and smiled with joy. A week ago she had been apprehensive, but now she could only feel proud of the fact that she was going to be the mother of Miroku's child. _I wonder if this was how Mom felt when she was pregnant with me?_ the taijiya wondered to herself, smiling at nothing in particular as she just sat in bed for a moment.

A soft "mew" jolted her out of her musings, and Sango looked to her right just in time to see Kirara arch her back and stretch cutely, then look over at her mistress with her huge ruby eyes. Sango smirked and gently scratched the neko-youkai(3) behind the ears, her smile widening as the kitten purred at the attention. With a sigh Sango stood up from her bed–Kirara perched on her shoulder–and lifted the reed door to go outside and discover what all the commotion was about.

As Sango appeared in the doorway of the hut, Kagome looked up from her task of trying to comfort Rin and waved to her friend in greeting. Sango smiled and returned the gesture, hardly noticing when Kirara exited her shoulder and started rubbing against Rin's legs, mewing gently in comfort. Her distraction seemed to work, as the child's tears ceased for a while as she petted the cat demon with two tails.

"Hi kitty! I remember you." Rin cooed as she stroked Kirara's fur. "You get as big as A-Un when you transform, don't you?" she asked, rubbing behind the kitten's ears, much to the delight of a very-contented Kirara. Sango smiled as the girl continued to admire her animal companion, then knelt beside the two as Kirara rubbed against both of their legs, purring loudly to voice her enjoyment of all the attention.

"Her name's Kirara." Sango supplied, gazing down at the purring feline. "She's been a companion to me and my family for as long as anyone can remember. For as long as the demonslayers have existed, or maybe even longer." she commented mysteriously, causing Kagome and Kaede to look over in interest. "She's very old, but she never shows it. She still has the strength and energy of a lioness in her prime, and probably will still for many generations to come." The taijiya sighed as she stroked her best friend's down-like coat, but kept smiling as she did so.

"Hey Sango?" Kagome inquired, and the demonslayer looked up. "You said that Kirara's been with your family ever since the demonslayers started their village. Could you– is it possible that you're a descendant of Midoriko the priestess?"

"Yep. I'm a direct descendant, Kagome." Sango confirmed, causing her friend's eyebrows to rise and her jaw to drop. "In fact when I was little, some of the elders in my village thought that I might have inherited her spiritual powers, but then nothing came of it. I grew up a normal human girl, no spiritual power whatsoever." Sango shrugged.

"Same with Kohaku, though he never showed any of the signs that I had." the taijiya continued as she sighed again, worry clouding her eyes as she thought of her little brother. She glanced over at the small hut where he was staying–no, _meditating–_as he had been for over three weeks, ever since the beach vacation that Kagome had planned. He would emerge occasionally; either to eat, practice with his chain and sickle, or stretch his legs, but would always retreat back to the silent solitude of his meditation. Everyone knew why he wanted to be alone, and so would honor his unspoken wishes. He was mourning the loss of his village, of his entire family, save one. Sango was the only survivor of his mindless slaughter, and the only reason that she'd lived was because Naraku had placed a Shikon jewel shard in her back.

"Don't worry Sango." Kagome comforted, putting a gentle hand on her friend's shoulder as a tear dropped from the demonslayer's cheek. "Just give him time. He'll come out for good when he's ready. In time his heart will heal. Just as yours is." the miko stated sagely, rubbing the other woman's back in small circles, just as her own mother would do for her when she was upset.

"Aye, child. Time be the cure for all ailments." Kaede agreed, finishing the wash and shuffling to the herb garden to harvest and weed. "Speaking of which– Kagome, would ye mind helping me harvest some? We may have need of it for making healing poultices."

Kagome snickered at the little play-on-words that the witty elder miko had just communicated, then left Sango's side to help the grandmotherly old woman in gathering the thyme and other useful herbs. Sango and Rin continued to play with Kirara for a bit, then stopped as the child became interested in the herb garden in which Kaede and Kagome were working. _Maybe this place won't be so bad after all–_ Rin thought to herself as Kagome showed her how to distinguish herbs from weeds.

* * *

><p>Growl. "Okay, <em>that<em> wasn't a demon. Was that _you_, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked politely, but on the inside he was trying to hold back a snicker of amusement.

"What? I'm hungry!" the hanyou reciprocated, glaring at his traveling companion as if it were his fault. Which it really wasn't, but an empty stomach does not a rational Inuyasha make. Miroku just rolled his eyes and kept walking. He knew this area fairly well, and remembered that there was a small town not far from their current position. "Just try to be patient, my friend. If I recall correctly, there is a town not too far ahead of us. We should be able to see it within the hour."

"Humph!" the hanyou responded eloquently, crossing his arms and sniffing the air surreptitiously. Grudgingly, he had to admit that the monk was right. He could smell the smoke from nearby cook-fires, along with the scent of normal humans going about their everyday lives. "It's peaceful at least." the hanyou commented. "We won't have to worry about any demons here." he muttered, not knowing whether to be relieved or disappointed at the lack of action.

"Except for _you_, of course." Miroku teased good-naturedly, causing the half-demon to snort. "Right." Because of Inuyasha's unique parentage, the two friends had been rudely driven from the last village by its narrow-minded citizens.

"Keh! Racist morons. Who needs 'em anyway?" Inuyasha had spat as they left the hostile village behind, but Miroku could tell that the villagers' nasty comments had hurt his friend much deeper than he cared to admit. One had even gone so far as to hurl his abuse in another language, one that the hanyou didn't understand but that Miroku spoke fluently. The monk had wheeled around suddenly and punched the offending man in the face–knocking him to the ground–and said, "Hey, did he insult _your_ mother?" The surprised man just sat on his posterior, too stunned to retort.

"What _did_ that guy say, anyway?" Inuyasha asked after a few more minutes. "You don't want to know," the monk replied, "but a broken nose is hardly a fitting punishment for such a disgraceful comment."

"I'm impressed. You must've socked 'im pretty good." the hanyou observed, looking at his normally-nonviolent friend in a new light.

"Well it _was_ a very rude thing to say, not to mention untrue. How dare he insult Lady Izayoi like that!" Miroku growled, cracking his knuckles and glaring back in the general direction of the village.

"Wha– how do _you_ know my mother's name?" Inuyasha spluttered, caught off-guard once again by the monk's surprising knowledge.

"Oh, you talk in your sleep sometimes. You must have dreamt about her one night." Miroku explained with a shrug as they continued on, oblivious to Inuyasha's gaping look of incredulity. The dog-hanyou shut his mouth before a fly could buzz in, and the two friends continued on in silence.

"Speaking of which, Inuyasha," Miroku began after a moment, rekindling their conversation. "What was your father's name?"

"Heck if I know. The day I was born was the day he died. Everybody just called him or referred to him as 'Inu-no-taisho', 'cause he was the commander of a mighty army of powerful demons in his day." Inuyasha answered, scowling as his already-sullen mood worsened. Miroku hadn't meant anything by the question–Inuyasha knew that it was merely simple, innocent curiosity–but the question brought up painful memories from his past all the same. "You wanna know what his _real_ name was; ask ol' Myoga or Sesshomaru sometime."

"I highly doubt that _Sesshomaru_ would answer such a personal question, especially if it came from a lowly human such as myself." Miroku chuckled, thinking of the proud inu-youkai(4).

"Why the sudden interest in my family, monk?" Inuyasha queried as they walked, now only a few miles away from the village. They could both see the smoke curling up from a few chimneys and a small babbling brook that cut through the center of the village, sparkling happily as it continued on to its unseen destination.

"I don't know. Just idle curiosity, I suppose." The houshi answered, shrugging his shoulders. Changing the subject abruptly, he commented, "You know what sounds really good right about now?" he asked rhetorically, catching his traveling companion's attention. "Fish-and-mushroom-kebabs, sprinkled with just a pinch of salt and grilled to perfection. Followed by some ripe lychee berries and a cool drink of fresh water to chase it down." Miroku described, his eyes closed as he imagined the tasty sight.

"Aw, Miroku!" the hungry hanyou complained. "Did ya _have_ to mention _food_ right now? I'm starving!"

"Heh. Sorry Inuyasha. It had completely slipped my mind." Miroku apologized. Inuyasha wiped a bit of drool from his bottom lip and muttered, "_Sure_ it did," sarcasm dripping from every syllable.

…

Later that day–around noon–the two travelers had reached the village. It looked simple enough, far grander than the one Kaede resided in, but hardly comparable to the very prosperous ones that they both had seen in their travels. Still, it seemed as if this humble town had been blessed by peace, as Miroku could sense no demonic aura or noticed any 'ominous clouds', and Inuyasha could smell neither hide nor hair of a demon for miles, good or bad.

As they neared the center of the village, a lovely young woman approached them and shyly offered them a meal and a place to rest at her tea shop. Miroku quickly accepted and thanked the woman for her generosity. Inuyasha just rolled his eyes and followed silently, mildly surprised when the monk didn't give her the usual 'pretty girl' line that he used to. The 'will you bear my child' standby. _Guess he doesn't need to ask that anymore, since Sango's already workin' on it back home. Wonder how she's holdin' up?_ he thought idly as they followed the young woman into the modest tea-house.

To Miroku's great–but obviously pleased–surprise, the young woman had prepared a meal of exactly what he had described to Inuyasha a mere hour earlier. However there were some minor differences and additions. Instead of plain water there was a mug of hot tea, brewed to perfection with leaves of their choice. Also to accompany the fish-kebabs was a bowl of rice and a side of various cooked vegetables. Inuyasha eagerly dug in, commenting after the first few mouthfuls, "It's no 'ninja food', but it's good!" Miroku agreed with the sentiment, only he was politely making use of the chopsticks while the impatient hanyou just used his hands, the appropriate utensils lying forgotten on the side of his tray.

Their young hostess didn't seem to mind his lack of etiquette though, politely keeping any comments to herself. As she cleared away the empty plates, cups and bowls, she kept glancing at Miroku shyly and blushing crimson whenever their eyes would meet. After the most recent instance, Miroku finally recognized their now all-too-familiar hostess.

"It _can't_ be– _Koharu_?" the thunderstruck monk questioned incredulously. His theory was confirmed when the maiden turned even redder and grinned sheepishly, affirming her identity with a nod.

"Ain't you that girl that was so enamored of Miroku that you said you two were already engaged?" Inuyasha asked rather bluntly, embarrassing the poor girl even further, though perhaps not intentionally.

"Y-yes, but I only did it to prevent my marriage to that snobby _cad_ of a lord." she answered in defense, but gasped and clapped a hand over her mouth at what she'd just revealed.

"Hey, no arguments here. I didn't like 'im either." Inuyasha shrugged as Miroku nodded his agreement. "You deserve much better than the likes of him, Koharu." the monk said, smiling kindly at the pretty young woman.

"I am glad that you think so Miroku-sama(5), because I recently found someone that could be the one for me and I for him." she announced happily, fingering a small band of gold on her fourth finger. At that moment, a young man walked in from the back room and placed a hand on Koharu's shoulder. "Friends, I'd like you to meet my fiancé, Kuranosuke."

"Miroku-sama! Inuyasha! What a pleasure to see you again!" the young lord cried happily, shaking their hands warmly. "It has been too long, my friends!"

"Oh! You already know each other?" a confused Koharu asked, looking back and forth between her fiancé and two friends.

"These two gentlemen saved my manor and vassals from the terror of a most fearsome demon spirit." Kuranosuke explained to the young woman. "Along with their other companions: Shippo the small kitsune, the sweet Kagome, a miko, and the lovely demonslayer Sango." Kuranosuke smiled at the mention of Miroku's bride, earning an unnoticed glare of jealousy from the monk. However, the look disappeared when the young lord turned back to the two friends. "Which reminds me, how is Sango doing, good monk?" he asked innocently.

"She is well, and staying in Kaede's village with Kagome and Shippo. We were married three weeks after Naraku was finally destroyed." the houshi answered curtly, feeling the need to inform Kuranosuke of their relationship.

"Is that so? Well, my congratulations to you both then!" the lord replied joyfully, shaking Miroku's hand again. "I must say, I _had_ noticed a spark between you the last time we met, though at the time I confused it for mere companionable concern, as a comrade-in-arms feels for a team member. Please forgive my thoughtless presumption of the past, good monk," he requested, bowing before the surprised Miroku in apology.

Miroku sat there for a moment in stunned silence, but then smiled. Kuranosuke was the type of man who no one could stay mad at for long. "Think nothing of it, Kuranosuke-dono(6). Those events have already passed, and nothing we do can rewrite history. The past is of no consequence now. Speaking of which, how go things at your estate? No more troubles with demons I hope?"

Kuranosuke smiled and shook his head. "Nay. My house has stayed free of youkai and spirits–bear or otherwise–thanks to your group, houshi-sama." he answered, sitting up and putting a gentle hand around Koharu's shoulder. "And hopefully it will continue to stay that way. Though if it does not, it will be through no fault of _mine_, of this I assure you."

"I am glad to hear it." Miroku smiled, nodding in approval. "However if anything happens, do not hesitate to send for us. Inuyasha and I have become quite adept at exorcising and exterminating demons." he offered, grinning at his hanyou companion, who was still stuffing his face. Somehow he managed to return the expression, _after_ he'd cleaned off his mouth.

…

Some time later–after Inuyasha had stuffed himself on Koharu's excellent cooking–the two friends bade farewell to the happy couple and left the village, heading west into the mountains. The sun was still high in the sky–the time being only three hours past noon–so the two travelers figured they could travel quite a fair distance yet before resting for the night. As they walked, the two friends talked of and guessed at what the girls might be up to at this very moment.

Off in the distance, Inuyasha noticed a strange cloud of dust on the road in front of them, and after a moment Miroku noticed it too, his vision not as keen as that of the half-demon.

"What do you think it could be, Inuyasha?" the monk inquired, and receiving an answer in the form of a shoulder-shrug and raised palms. "Beats me. I'm a half-demon, not a future-teller." the hanyou growled, sensing danger. He was always in a bad mood when he could tell something was wrong.

"Should we prepare for an attack?" Miroku muttered as Inuyasha sniffed the air, the monk lowering his staff and holding it with both hands, preparing for battle.

"Oh great, _him_." Inuyasha complained, rolling his golden eyes. "Don't bother, Miroku. It's just my _favorite_ wolf-demon and his two lackeys." the red-clad hanyou relaxed, standing up straight and stretching, taking his hand off the Tetsusaiga as he did so. Miroku relaxed as well, returning his shakujou to its normal, upright position as the cloud of dust drew nearer and grew larger. _If it's Koga, then we have nothing to fear from an ally–_ the monk thought.

Just as the pair thought the dust cloud would crash into them, it settled as its creators slid to a halt, the leader stopping half a second before his followers. "Well, well, well. If it isn't my favorite _pup_, Inuyasha." Koga smirked by way of greeting and nodding to Miroku, who smiled and returned it.

"Watch it, wolf-boy. You might've caught me on a good day, but you say one wrong word and I'll beat ya senseless." Inuyasha growled, glaring at his frienemy.

"I'd like to see you try, dog-breath." Koga taunted, smirking at the hanyou and trying to get a rise out of him.

"You asked for it!" Inuyasha grinned, stepping forward to attack the wolf-demon leader, but Miroku held him back. "Please, Inuyasha. He's goading you into an attack. Just this once, can't we have a peaceful conversation between allies?" the monk asked, weary of their constant insults.

"I'd listen to your friend, mutt. I've gotten a lot stronger since the last time we met. As much as I'd enjoy a sparring session, I don't want Kagome mad at me for hurting her boyfriend." Koga advised, smirking at the fuming half-demon.

"As if your pathetic moves could hold a candle to my Tetsusaiga!" Inuyasha spat back, gripping the handle of his father's fang. "But I guess you're right. I wouldn't want Ayame on my case either." he admitted grudgingly, standing down and releasing the hilt. Noticing this, Miroku let go of him so he could move aside.

"Speaking of which, how is the rest of the pack and your beautiful mate, Koga?" Miroku asked companionably, trying to relieve the tension between the two hot-blooded warriors.

"Eh, not that it's a human's business what demons do, but everything's fine back home." Koga shrugged nonchalantly, tilting his head to the side and closing his eyes as he did so. "And what about Kagome? And that demonslayer girl? Where are they?" Koga asked suddenly, looking around for the absent miko and taijiya.

"Sango and Kagome are back in Kaede's village. They are both fine. Sango and I were married a month ago, and Kagome seems to be adjusting well to life as a priestess now that Naraku is no more." Miroku answered politely, informing their ally of the past month's significant events.

"Congrats, houshi-sama!" Hakkakku cried happily, and Ginta nodded his agreement. Koga rolled his eyes, but then he nodded and stated, "Yeah. What they said." to Miroku. "Thank you." the monk answered simply, smiling at the young leader of the Wolf Demon tribe. "That really means a lot to me coming from you."

"So how come you two didn't stay home with your mates? Couldn't handle it?" Koga teased as he grinned at Inuyasha again. "Or did Kagome kick you out for being such an idiot, mutt-face?"

"Nah. I just needed to stretch my claws. That and keep Miroku outta trouble. Though so far that's been unnecessary, surprisingly– Wait. _What'd_ you just call me?" the hanyou growled, exposing his claws and snarling at a snickering Koga.

"Peace, Inuyasha. He's just baiting you again." Miroku attempted to explain, but his friend was too far gone to dissuade with mere words. "Aw heck no. This guy's _askin'_ fer a fight."

"I'm _begging_ for it! Who's gonna give it to me?" Koga taunted, waving Inuyasha forward. "Certainly not _you_, mutt!"

"You bet I will! I'll send ya runnin' home with yer tail between yer legs! With one hand tied behind my back!" Inuyasha retorted, grinning like an idiot and drawing his fang of destruction with his right hand.

"Then take this! Goraishi(7)!" Koga countered, exposing his metal-clad claws and lunging at Inuyasha, the weapons generating electricity like a live wire. The battle that ensued looked like nothing more than a gigantic cloud of dust to its spectators, who were watching it with disapproving expressions on their faces.

_Sigh._ "They never learn, do they?" Miroku asked of no one in particular as he listened to the sounds of the fight in progress, a sweatdrop running down the side of his head. "Koga!" "Koga-kun(8)!" Hakkakku and Ginta cried, trying unsuccessfully to get their friend to stop the fight. Which at this rate would continue for days. Sigh. _If only Kagome-sama were here. She'd be able to stop at least _Inuyasha_ from fighting. One little word and he would stop._ Miroku remembered fondly, recalling some of the more humorous instances when the hanyou had been subjugated by the miko. Sadly, Kagome was not present to put an end to the squabble, so it fell to Miroku to be peacemaker.

The monk sighed again as the battle of prides waged on, wishing that the beads of subjugation didn't only work for Kagome, but _anyone_ with spiritual power. He sat down on the grass near the road, calmly crossing his legs, laying his staff horizontally across his knees, and bringing his right hand up so that it was parallel with his breastbone. Closing his eyes in concentration, he didn't even flinch when a large, stray shard of adamant whizzed past his right ear, burying itself in the ground not three inches from his position. He began muttering indistinguishable words and sounds, which Hakkakku and Ginta assumed was some sort of spell or shield. In seconds their assumptions were proved correct, as the sounds from the fighting abruptly ceased. The dust cloud settled after a few moments, revealing the two warriors–both sporting surprised looks on their faces–and Inuyasha contained within a barrier.

"Settle down, both of you!" Miroku growled irritably, causing the two combatants to look at him in confusion. The mild-mannered monk hardly ever lost his temper. "What am I, your babysitter?" he asked rhetorically and glared at the two, who had the conscience at least to look guilty.

"Now," Miroku stated as he released Inuyasha, who surprisingly continued to pay attention to his friend. "I know that I'm not the boss of you Koga, and I know I have no authority to order you around, but don't you think that picking fights with Inuyasha _every_ time you cross paths is just a little– immature? And Inuyasha, though you may be fifty years my senior, sometimes you can act like such a _child_!" the annoyed monk vented, causing both demon and hanyou to look at him in impressed surprise, not expecting such an adamant reaction from the normally calm and collected man.

"You're right, Miroku. We've been acting like idiots, like pups, too young to know better." Inuyasha acknowledged, looking appropriately abashed. Beside him, Koga wore a similar expression. His right cheek was bloody with a gash from Tetsusaiga, and Inuyasha's arm was bleeding rather profusely, having been rent by Koga's Goraishi in the scuffle.

"Now come here, you two." Miroku called, returning abruptly to his normal kind and passive demeanor as if nothing had happened. Producing a large bandage and several wads of gauze from inside his robes, he began cleaning and binding their wounds. "I may not be as practiced with these 'future items' as Kagome, but hopefully I've learned a thing or two." he commented conversationally while Inuyasha just stared at him with his mouth open. "Where'd you get _those_, Miroku?" the half-demon asked the monk as he finished cleaning Koga's cut and applying the bandage.

"Oh, Kagome anticipated that we'd encounter at least a _few_ battles; so she gave me this 'first-aid kit' to take on our journey. She figured it would come in handy. Guess it did." he answered as he cleaned off the claw wounds on Inuyasha's left upper arm with the stinging stuff that smelled like sake. [aka: alcohol]

After the two boys were patched up and apologized to one another–prompted by Miroku–Koga and his two friends bade farewell to the monk and hanyou as they parted. Koga called, "Hey! Maybe I'll check in on the girls if I'm in the area!"

"All right. Would you convey our greetings and wishes of blessing if you do?" Miroku called back, and Koga waved in answer as he disappeared behind a hill. Satisfied, the two good friends traveled on through the hilly landscape that was divided with farms. As they walked, Inuyasha was pensive, twiddling his thumbs and staring at his feet as he walked beside the young monk, still embarrassed from the scolding he'd received.

"Hey Miroku?" Inuyasha began after a few minutes of uncomfortable silence. "About what happened earlier– I–"

"I'm sorry, Inuyasha." Miroku interrupted, causing the surprised teen half-demon to lose a step. "It was wrong of me to 'blow up' at you, as Kagome would say. From now on I shall try harder to keep my temper in check." he apologized and promised, studying his sandals thoroughly. "I should know by now that your demon blood urges you to fight at any encounter you may come upon, and Koga is most likely the same way. I had no right to yell at you like that."

"Nah. S'okay, Miroku. We _were_ acting like idiots back there. Sorry I made you lose your cool." Inuyasha muttered, cleaning off Tetsusaiga on a tuft of grass as they passed it. Changing the subject abruptly, he commented, "You know what, Miroku? Don't let this go to your head or anything, but you're gonna make a great dad someday."

That statement caught the monk completely off-guard, and he turned to Inuyasha with an incredulous "_Huh_?"

"I mean it. You're caring, even-tempered, strong both physically and spiritually, good with kids, yet firm when needed. _Anyone_ can be a father, but it takes a real special person to be a _dad_. Not that I would know." Inuyasha stated, causing Miroku to freeze in his tracks and turn right around and look at him in shock. Inuyasha gave a small but sincere crooked smile to his best friend, and Miroku put a hand on the other young man's shoulder. "Thank you." he imparted softly.

_It was true. Inuyasha could act like a child sometimes, but then at the same time he could be the most insightful, wise, most _responsible_ man that I've ever known. I couldn't have asked for a better best friend. _

* * *

><p><span>End of chapter (Episode) 3<span>

Next chapter teaser: Old Friends

And behold, the great borrower strikes again! This time I borrowed one line from Iago on 'The Return of Jafar' Disney movie, and two lines from Ben 10: Alien Force, Season 1, Episode 11: Plumber's Helpers. Disney owns Aladdin, and Man of Action owns the Ben 10 series. NOT ME! (Even though I totally have a crush on Kevin. XD)

Okay. I can't write Sesshomaru-sama. Why does he have to be so darn complicated? *gets hit in the head with another rock* And mean!

I LOVE LYCHEE BERRIES! *dodges another rock*

And I totally got Koga wrong too. Good thing he's not one of the major characters.

–And Miroku when he flies off the handle. Jeez, is _everybody_ OOC today?!

Oh, and add Inu to the list too. Argh! *bangs head against desk repeatedly*

Translations:

**Ohayo** – No, not a state in the U.S.A. (ha!), but the greeting. Informal form of hello, used with well-known friends.

**Mokomoko** – The fluffy accessory that Sesshomaru always wears on his right shoulder.

**Neko** – cat

**Inu-youkai** – Dog demon. Inu=dog, youkai=demon.

**-sama** – Honorific used to address someone of importance.

**-dono** – Honorific used to address a man one holds in high regard or great respect.

**Goraishi** – Metal claw weapons that Koga received from the Wolf-Demon elders.

**-kun** – Honorific used to address a close friend. Male, usually.


	4. Old Friends

Here's the next chapter! Read, Enjoy, and REVIEW! Please REVIEW!

Reborn chapter 4: Old Friends

* * *

><p>"I wonder how Nee-chan(1) is doing–" Sota wondered out loud as he helped his grandfather clean up the shed on the family shrine. Ever since Inuyasha's subjugation 'accident' in here, Grandpa Higurashi had been rather surly when he entered this particular building.<p>

"Oh I'm sure she's fine, Sota." his grandfather assured. "Kagome has her mother's strong spirit. She'll be perfectly all right over there." he concluded with confidence, immensely proud of his granddaughter. He was particularly happy because of the current date. No need to make up illness excuses during summer vacation!

"Yeah. You're probably right, Jii-chan(2)." the glum boy muttered quietly. Despite that he and Kagome didn't get along very well even when she _was_ here, the boy missed his big sister. He would always be thrilled to see her when she came home, especially if his hero Inuyasha would accompany her. He loved imitating the dog-hanyou, especially his 'Sankon Tesso'(3) claw attack. His mom thought his antics were funny, but Sota wanted to show everyone that he could be brave too, just like his hero.

_I wish I could see the Feudal Era too, like Sis does. Or at least meet the rest of her friends. I bet Kirara's a lot cooler than Buyo–_ the boy thought to himself. _And Miroku sounds like a nice guy too. Man! This isn't fair!_ he pouted, finishing with the dusting and jogging over to the shrine that housed the Bone-Eater's Well. Peering inside, he sighed, "You don't know how lucky you are, Kagome."

* * *

><p>In another time, the girl in question was helping Lady Kaede wash the bedding that the girls had been using in the old miko's hut. Kagome worked silently, wishing that this era was more technologically advanced, more like her own. <em>That's one bad thing about the Feudal Era. No soap.<em> she mentally grumbled as she scrubbed the sheets against the old-fashioned washboard.

"Man, It's so hot today!" the teenager observed, dragging her hand across her brow and wiping away a layer of sweat. She regretted not stuffing a short-sleeved shirt into her yellow backpack, but then shrugged and rolled up her pant legs of the priestess outfit so that they looked like shorts. _There._ She sighed contentedly. _Much better._

"Indeed it is hot, Kagome." her elderly companion agreed. "Mayhap ye could find some activity to cool off. Too much sun can be a burden, especially for those with skin as fair as yours." Kaede suggested, subtly relieving Kagome of her washing chores.

"Arigato(4), Kaede-sama!" the miko exclaimed happily, hanging the last blanket over the wash-line to dry. Then she unrolled her pant legs and sleeves so they covered her arms and legs, the proper way for a priestess (in-training) to dress. _Maybe I'll teach the village children how to swim, since it's so hot._ she mused thoughtfully. _And some of the adults, if they're interested._ She remembered back to when she and Inuyasha had battled a demon crow that had snatched the Sacred Jewel and a small boy, dropping the child in the river to drown. Kagome had rescued him, but her method had caused some of the villagers to think she was some sort of water imp.

_Ha! As if!_ Kagome snorted. _They were just jealous because I know how to swim and they don't._ she thought haughtily, pleased with herself. But then she shook her head violently. "What's wrong with me? I can't think like that! Just because I have knowledge that no one else does doesn't mean that I can act superior and lord it over them! That's probably something Sesshomaru would do." she chastised herself as she walked through the village, following the river. As she neared a bridge that spanned the brook, she noticed a group of youngsters playing in the shallow water, giggling and shrieking as they playfully exchanged splashes with one another. Among the children was a grinning Rin, who looked up and waved when she saw Kagome approaching.

"Ohayo, Kagome-sama!" called the little girl, and Kagome smiled and waved back, happy to see that her newest friend was adjusting well to life in the small village. Rin splashed out of the cool water and ran over to the miko, tackling one of her legs in a hug. "We're having so much fun, Kagome-sama! Why don't you join us?" she invited, her big brown eyes sparkling.

"I'd love to, Rin-chan." Kagome answered happily, not being able to resist the child's puppy-dog eyes or her warm, unbearably cute smile. The miko let her mind wander as she waded into the water in her swimsuit, her priestess garb hanging on the rail of the bridge where it wouldn't get wet or dirty. _If I have a daughter someday, I want her to be just like Rin–_ she thought aimlessly, then gasped mentally, _Whoa. Where did _that_ come from?_ But then she smiled and shrugged her shoulders, watching her young charges happily as they all played in the refreshingly cool water. _Well it's true, all the same._

…

After a few hours of playing with the children, the youngsters got tired of playing in the water and wanted Kagome to teach them how to recognize healing herbs from their poisonous counterparts. "Like Kikyo-sama used to do," they'd said. Kagome agreed, a solemn expression on her face as she remembered the tragic fate of the priestess. _She didn't deserve it,_ the girl thought. _After all that she lived through, her soul deserved to find rest and peace._ She continued on this train of thought as she helped the children in identifying plants, her mind in another world entirely. Her train of thought was suddenly derailed, however, when a tap to the shoulder and a face-full of plant brought her back to the present. "Lady Kagome, what does this plant do?" a cute seven-year-old girl asked sweetly, practically shoving the bitter-smelling plant into Kagome's nose. She backed away in surprise, but then glanced at the herb and identified it at once.

"That's an interesting plant, Natsumi. While the stalk, root, flower and fruit of this plant is harmful to humans, the leaves can actually be used as a great antidote to spider bites." Kagome answered proudly, happy to be sharing her knowledge with the youngsters. _I learned that one from Jinenji and his mother. I wonder if he's still scared of people? Wait. That's it! I could kill two birds with one stone!_

"Children," Kagome called, and eight pairs of eager eyes met her own. "If you really want to know a lot about herbs, we could visit a friend of mine who lives not too far from here. He and his mother have an enormous garden, and most of what I know I learned from him." she imparted, not ashamed in the least. _If Jinenji could teach these children, then he would get over his fear of humans and the kids could better help the village._

"Yay!" the children cried happily, then crowded around Kagome as sheep flock around a shepherd. Kagome laughed, then said, "Not so fast. I have to ask your parents if it's okay. It is true that my friend doesn't live too far away, but it's still a day's journey as the crow flies. Your parents would worry about you. Maybe we can leave tomorrow morning."

"Aww!" groaned the kids in disappointment, but then their moods brightened at the prospect of a cool adventure on the morrow. Kagome smiled at the perpetual enthusiasm that all children possess, and sighed as she recalled another friend who was always ready for action. _Inuyasha,_ she prayed. _Be safe._

* * *

><p>That evening, said hanyou was sitting beside what he thought was the best campfire ever built, and Miroku was gathering some water from the stream while their fish-kebabs were cooking. Inuyasha had also sniffed out some edible mushrooms, which were skewered on the sticks with the fish. When Miroku returned, he set the bottles of water down beside him, then flopped down on the grass, looking extremely pleased with himself.<p>

"What're you smirking about, Miroku?" Inuyasha inquired, intrigued at the monk's merry mood.

Miroku only grinned wider and put his hand in his pocket, drawing out a handful of large red berries that were dotted with tiny seeds. "Oh, nothing." the monk answered. "I just found us some dessert, that's all."

"Wow. Wild strawberries! Nice one buddy!" an appreciative half-demon praised, snatching one before Miroku could act and popping it into his mouth. "Mmm. Juicy." he sighed, relishing the sweet, tart taste.

"Now don't have too many Inuyasha, you'll spoil your dinner." Miroku teased as he copied his friend, tossing a berry into his mouth. _He's right, though. These are delicious!_

"Yes _Mom_." the hanyou retorted sarcastically, but with a teasing grin on his face. Miroku gently elbowed him for that comment, then they both grabbed a stick with fish and began eating.

* * *

><p>Half an hour later–<p>

_BURP!_ "Inuyasha! You have the manners of a pig demon! At least cover your mouth next time!"

"What? It's a compliment! Better out than in!" Inuyasha said in his defense.

Miroku looked exasperated, leaning on his hand and half-heartedly glowering at his traveling companion. After a moment, the proud hanyou caved. "Guess you're right. Sorry about that."

"No harm done, my friend. Forget it." the monk answered absentmindedly, studying his right hand pensively. The hand that had once been cursed with the Wind Tunnel. "Why so serious?" Inuyasha asked after a minute, flipping a strand of black hair over his shoulder.

"Huh? Oh, nothing." the distracted houshi answered, not convincing Inuyasha in the slightest. The mortal half-demon edged closer to the moody monk, studying his face carefully. "You wanna talk about it; it's all over your face. So what's up?" he asked bluntly.

"Very well. I was– reminiscing. Thinking about my family's generational curse, and the fact that my earliest memory is of a woman's scream. I finally realized why I was raised by master Mushin. Why my father was always so downcast when I was there. I'd always thought he was sad about his own Wind Tunnel, but– it wasn't his. It was _mine._ I was mere hours old, and yet– with my own right hand– I killed my mother." he confessed, turning his face away from the fire to hide his guilt and tears.

Inuyasha gasped, having not expected a revelation quite like that. He stared at the grief-stricken monk for a long time, shock rendering him speechless. For the longest time he could do nothing but stare at his friend in horror, mentally cursing Naraku to the deepest pits of Hell for all the terrible things he'd done. Not just to himself and Kikyo, but to everyone; people like monk Miyatsu, Miroku's grandfather.

"It wasn't your fault." the human Inuyasha muttered after an immeasurable amount of time, so quietly that it could have been a whisper of the wind. "You had no control, no say in the matter. A newborn can't do much of anything by itself, and you're no exception. It's Naraku's fault, so blame _him_. Not yourself." Inuyasha continued, causing Miroku's broken sobs to cease and the man to look up at his friend.

"Naraku's dead. And even if he weren't, revenge wouldn't bring her back. Nothing can." Miroku snapped dejectedly, the barbs of his stinging comments aimed at himself. He looked at his right hand again in disgust, then tore off the royal purple gauntlet and tossed it aside, the blue prayer beads still strung around it. "How can I even call myself a monk? I'm a _murderer_, nothing more." He broke down, once more hiding his face in his arms after he'd flung his staff into the woods.

"Come here, Miroku. You need a hug." Inuyasha ordered, grabbing the monk's shoulders and not giving the other man any choice in the matter. His abrupt action was met with little resistance, so Inuyasha took that as a sign of acceptance and allowed the broken man to soak his shoulder with saltwater. _Eh. I've been meaning to wash this thing anyway._ Inuyasha shrugged mentally as he gently patted his friend's back. Then he muttered softly, "I know I once said that 'real men never show their tears', but in this case I'll make an exception. You need this. Let it all out."

…

Eventually the two men fell asleep, Miroku leaning on Inuyasha's shoulder and Inuyasha's head leaning against Miroku's. The half-demon didn't even notice when the sun rose and restored his demonic attributes, bathing both boys in its brilliant golden rays.

Miroku was the first to rise, stretching quietly and maneuvering so that he did not wake his friend. He walked out of the copse of trees where he and Inuyasha had been sleeping and into a grassy plain with long, waving grass. He tied his robes around his waist so that they functioned more as a pair of pants, thinking as he did so, _Maybe a bit of meditation and yoga exercises will help to calm my warring thoughts._ Then he bent into the complicated Tiger Scorpion Asana pose, supporting himself on his forearms and stretching so that he was standing on his head. He closed his eyes, breathing in the crisp morning air as he cleared his thoughts, meditating as master Mushin had taught him.

_Perhaps I acted in haste last night._ he thought to himself as he faced the dawning sun, feeling its pleasantly warm rays on his face. _This is my calling. I am destined to carry on the legacy of my father and of my father's father. Inuyasha was right. My mother's tragic fate was beyond my control, and I can't change that any more than I can change the weather._

His pensive state was interrupted by a short bark of amusement. "Keh! Figures you'd be showcasing your incredible flexibility, ya showoff." Inuyasha snorted, shaking his head in exasperation, but his eyes were sparkling in innocent amusement.

Miroku smiled and shifted fluidly into the next pose and answered, "It's not showing off if no audience is present to see it. Before you showed up, it was just me and my thoughts."

"Oh, _sorry_ to interrupt. Did you two have a nice talk?" the hanyou asked sarcastically, slightly envious of his friend's impressive abilities. But there was a joking tone to the seemingly hurtful and sarcastic comments.

"Yes, actually. We agreed that some things are beyond a man's control, and that he should stop dwelling on the past and look to the future. So that's what I'm gonna do." Miroku answered calmly, sounding completely at peace with himself and the world.

"Well said, my wise buddy. And now that your 'warm up' is finished, we have another matter to attend to. You owe me a sparring match, remember?" Inuyasha grinned, tossing Miroku's shakujou to its owner and drawing Tetsusaiga.

Miroku laughed, for once looking forward to a battle. "This is going to be fun."

* * *

><p>"Kagome-sama, are we there yet?" a girl whined as she trudged along the dusty path. Her mouth was open with her tongue hanging out, and her sandaled feet were shuffling down the road. Kagome smiled at the child, knowing what it felt like to be in her place. "I'd say it's about fifteen minutes away yet, but probably less. Don't worry, Atsuko. We're almost there." she reassured, causing the other tired children to brighten up as well.<p>

When they were less than five minutes away from Jinenji's home, Kagome let the children stop to rest. As they caught their breath, the miko had some words of warning she needed to share with the kids. "The woman and son who live in this house are a little different from what you're used to back home. Jinenji is quite large for his age, but he's also the gentlest person I know. His mother may seem rude at first, but it's just a front to discourage anyone who might hurt her son. He's very shy and is afraid of people because of past experiences. If you keep an open mind and an open heart though, you'll see that he's just like you and me on the inside: a timid, lonely boy who could use a friend or two."

The children nodded, and followed the miko to the hut where her friend and his mother lived, stepping back when she'd knocked on the door-frame. "Who's there? If you've come to torture my son some more, don't even bother knocking. He's not here!" came a rough voice from inside the structure.

"Oba(5)-san, it's me, Kagome. Where is Jinenji?" the miko asked calmly, not even fazed by the rude answer.

"Oh it's you, dear. He's out in the garden, gathering herbs for spider bites. There have been increasing demands for them lately. You can go visit him if you want. He'd like that." the woman's voice turned to a smile when she knew who one of her guests was.

"Thanks!" Kagome called, then led the group of kids through the paths to where the huge half-demon was harvesting plants. "Jinenji, ohayo!" Kagome called as she waved to the gentle giant. Jinenji looked up, and his face lit up with a smile of joy when he spotted the owner of the voice. By this time the group had reached the half-demon boy, and Kagome hugged her biggest friend around the middle. Some of the children backed away a few steps, but Rin observed innocently, "You're really tall, mister!"

Jinenji flushed and looked down, but Kagome put a hand on his shoulder and said, "It's nothing to be ashamed of Jinenji. In fact it's a blessing. You have nothing to be embarrassed about." To the kids, she explained, "Jinenji's father was a demon, but his mother is human. Just like Inuyasha. There's nothing to be afraid of, children." Kagome assured with confidence, and slowly the kids crept closer to the kind character.

"I was thinking that you could help teach these children about herbs and plants, Jinenji, since they expressed such an interest yesterday. I thought I could accomplish two things at once by bringing them here today. They get to learn about plants so they can better help their village, and you can get over your fear of people." Kagome suggested, and the half-horse-demon nodded. He turned back to the group and held up a small plant that he had picked. As he taught the children about various types of plants and how to distinguish herbs from weeds, Kagome thought happily, _He's come a long way since we first met him. I'm really proud of you, Jinenji. Speaking of coming a long way, I wonder how Inuyasha and Miroku are doing–_

* * *

><p>The clash of metal and grunts of exertion were all that could be heard in the otherwise peaceful field, punctuated occasionally with laughter and harmless taunts as the two friends exchanged blows. This was a no-holds-barred match, and each man was throwing everything he could at the other, to try to catch them off-guard. Miroku grinned as he blocked Tetsusaiga's swing with his staff, and Inuyasha deftly avoided a swing to the head by ducking at the last second.<p>

Tiring of exchanging and blocking the same old blows, Inuyasha leaped backward and gripped his sword's hilt with both hands, bringing it sweeping down with a cry of "Kongosoha!" Immediately the crystallized blade released dozens of projectiles, shards of adamant that were sharper than any double-edged sword.

Miroku's mouth turned up into a grim, mischievous smile, and he wordlessly conjured a strong barrier that diverted the shafts and sent them burrowing safely into the ground. Knowing that his friend would be vulnerable after such an attack, Miroku seized his chance and exploited an opening in Inuyasha's defenses, bringing his staff down on the panting hanyou's head.

The blow never reached its intended target, though, freezing mere inches between the swordsman's pointed ears. The owner of the staff had halted his attack and frozen, the blade of the Tetsusaiga inches from his midsection. Both warriors stared at each other in stunned silence for a moment, then broke into gales of laughter when they realized how close their attacks had come to being fatal. "I say we call that one a draw. Are you all right, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked when his laughter had subsided.

"Yeah. I'm fine." the hanyou answered, a statement that was at complete odds with his actions, which was rubbing a rather large bump on the back of his head. He'd received that one courtesy of Miroku's staff when he'd tried a sneak attack on the meditating monk. The houshi had accumulated a few bruises of his own, a particularly large one swelling on the crown of his head where Inuyasha had accidentally bonked him with the hilt of his blade. Miroku was rubbing some salve into a small cut on his arm, and Inuyasha was cleaning the blood from it off of Tetsusaiga. They were both so absorbed in their tasks that they failed to notice their audience, who had hidden in the bushes during their fight.

"Incredible. Absolutely incredible!" the young man praised, causing the two friends to jump and look up in alarm. "I've never seen a battle so impressive in my life!" he continued, walking up to Inuyasha and Miroku. Upon seeing his kind boyish face, Miroku recognized him immediately. "Akitoki Hojo! It's been too long!"

"Truly it has, master monk." the boy replied, bowing respectfully in greeting. "Forgive me for asking but– why were you fighting? I had thought the two of you were good friends." he asked, confused and concerned.

"It was merely a sparring match; a 'training' battle to gauge each other's skill." Miroku answered calmly, no longer winded from their 'test'. "And I would say that the two of us are closer than merely friends. Right Inuyasha?"

"I guess. Sometimes I get the feeling that you think of me as a brother. And once in a while–not often, but sometimes–I feel the same about you. When you're not bein' a pain in my rear." the hanyou sniffed, trying to preserve as much of his 'fearsome demon' image as he possibly could. And failing spectacularly.

"Brothers fight, but they're still brothers." Miroku contributed, smirking back at his unimpressed 'brother'.

"Feh!" was his articulate reply, and he stumped off to clean his sword somewhere there was quiet.

"So what brings you to these parts, Akitoki-san? Isn't your village far to the north of this area?"

"It is, but I have been sent in search of a great healer. They say his garden of herbs is unrivaled, and he makes the best poultices and cures in half the country. Unfortunately they also say that the guardian is five times the size of a man and can break a tree in half with his bare hands. He's a monster, and I will need to become stronger if I have any hope of defeating him. I have no choice. My village is plagued with spider-demons, and this monster has the only known cure for the venom." Akitoki confessed, and Miroku put a sympathetic hand around his shoulders. "The problem is I'm not very good with a sword, I have no spiritual powers whatsoever, and let's not even mention my nonexistent skills with the bow."

"Well you could try fighting with a quarterstaff. It really comes in handy in certain situations, especially with a staff like mine." Miroku suggested, handing over his shakujou so that Akitoki could examine it. "When used correctly, the quarterstaff has many uses in the hands of a master. It can parry sword strikes, deflect arrows and other projectiles, function as a spear or halberd depending on the tip, and when you're not in battle it makes for a great walking stick." he joked, trying to brighten the other young man's mood, which was still downcast.

"This staff _is_ impressive, houshi-sama." Akitoki admitted. "I'd always assumed that the shaft was wooden, but it's not; it is made of metal, right?" he asked, interested in spite of himself.

"Indeed it is, but most quarterstaves are carved of wood. The staff used by my master is one such tool. This staff just happens to be the one passed down to me from my late father, and he received it from his father, Miyatsu." Miroku explained, lost in fond memories of his father and of the monk who'd raised him, master Mushin.

"Miyatsu? Not the great monk Miyatsu: rumored to have slain nine-thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine demons before his death from the Kazaana?"

"The very same. He was my grandfather, and I am the last descendant of his line; the last heir to his incredible spiritual power. Not that my abilities could hold a candle to his. At least from what I've heard." Miroku answered, honored to be descended from the powerful monk.

"Oh I wouldn't say _that_, Miroku." Inuyasha pitched in, walking up behind the two and sitting cross-legged on the grass. "I think it's pretty clear that you inherited a few traits from your grandfather." He turned his head nonchalantly to the side and began to scratch his ear with his foot, calm and cool as if they were merely commenting on the weather. "'Specially the lechery." he added with a smirk.

"And here I was thinking that you were capable of actually giving a compliment without saying _something_ insensitive." Miroku sighed, feigning hurt. "Clearly I was mistaken."

"Oh stop it, ya crybaby. I was mostly teasin' anyway. What I meant was that you've really shown some amazing power when you weren't making a fool of yourself with all the flirting. With your abilities you could easily become a priest." Inuyasha commented, no trace of humor or teasing in his voice or on his face. Both Miroku and Hojo gaped at him, but the hanyou didn't take back his observation or wave it off as a joke.

After a long moment of contemplation, Miroku mused, "Perhaps you're right, Inuyasha. Maybe it's time I settled down and built a permanent life for myself and Sango in a single village. I'll still travel, but less often. Perhaps Sango can teach me some of her demonslaying tactics, that I may better protect her and the rest of the village."

"Yeah. Maybe. Hey, on the way home we could accompany Akitoki to this legendary 'cure master's place. At least it'll give us an excuse why we returned so soon." Inuyasha suggested, and the two humans nodded their approval.

"Great! And on the way, master Miroku can teach me how to use a quarterstaff." Akitoki added brightly, his perpetual good mood returned once again. "Oh!" he gasped. "I nearly forgot! A messenger came to our town a few days ago, looking for you two. He was carrying this letter." He reached inside his robe and drew out a scroll of parchment, which he handed to Miroku. "It's from the girls!" the monk announced excitedly upon unrolling it.

"Well? What does it say?" the impatient hanyou demanded, prompting Miroku to read it faster.

"Kagome writes that she gave a sample of the spider venom to the father of one of her friends, who is a 'research scientist', but he hasn't found anything yet. Rin is now living with them at Kaede's, and apparently is a big help despite her age and size. It sounds like they are planning to visit Jinenji in the next few days, although this letter might be outdated." he summarized for his two companions. As he reached the end of the letter though, his eyes went wide and he gasped aloud in shock.

"What's wrong? Did something happen with the girls?" Inuyasha cried, fearing the worst. Miroku read and reread the line three times, sure that he was dreaming, or something to the like.

"The letter says that Sango– is with child." Miroku finally answered after a minute of soundless mouthing. "I'm going to be a father."

* * *

><p><span>End of chapter (Episode) 4<span>

Next chapter teaser: A Skip through Time

Well, it's about time he found out. Although it was kinda fun keeping him in the dark, too. *receives evil glare from Miroku* Heh– heh– heh–

Aww, poor Miroku! I can't take the credit for the idea of his mom's fate, however. I read it in another story on here, though I can't remember which one.

Some cute male bonding time with Miroku and human!Inuyasha. Aww! Kawaii! I think that when he's human, he's a little more understanding and sympathetic.

I know how you feel Sota, but don't worry: you'll get your wish. (Sooner than you think!) *grins knowingly*

Translations:

**Nee-chan** – big sister.

**Jii-chan** – grandfather/grandpa

**Sankon Tesso** – 'Iron-Reaver Soul Stealer!' Inuyasha's powerful claw attack when his sword is not available.

**Arigato** – Thanks!

**Oba-san** – old woman/grandma

**Kongosoha** – Adamant Barrage!


	5. A Skip through Time

Reborn chapter 5: A Skip through Time

* * *

><p>About 1 month later–<p>

"_Mew_!" Kirara cried in her kitten form, scratching at the door lintel to the hut where Kohaku had hidden himself for weeks. She'd barely seen only glimpses of her favorite playmate, and even then only for a few minutes. She mewed again, this time sounding almost pleading. On the one paw, she was concerned for Kohaku and wanted to comfort him in his time of sorrow. But on the other, she knew that he wouldn't like her intruding without permission. So she sat just outside the reed-door, her double-tail swishing back and forth in the dirt.

"Kirara," came a weary voice from inside the hut. It sounded hurt, and just a little abashed at making everyone worry. "Are you worried about me too? You don't need to be. I'm fine." he assured, but his words were far from the truth, and Kirara could sense that. Making up her mind, she deliberately went against his wishes for privacy and padded into the dark, one-room hut. Kohaku was sitting in the center of a circle of candles, all burned down to the ground. The small cat-demon weaved her way through the maze of wax piles and rubbed against Kohaku's back when she'd reached him. The boy was wearing his everyday clothes, and his demonslayer armor was carefully and neatly folded beside him. Kirara circled the boy twice, then licked his hand with her small tongue after rubbing up against his legs.

"I guess you must miss Dad too. Him and all the others. Sango and I, we're the only ones left. Our whole clan– gone, destroyed. All because of me." Kohaku whispered, a tear leading another path down his face. Kirara mewed in disagreement, trying to tell him that it was Naraku's fault, not his. But she could not speak the language of humans, and Kohaku could not understand her tongue. Somehow part of her message must have gotten across the communication barrier though, as she rubbed against her young master's back, because the boy seemed to calm down a bit and regain some semblance of peace within himself. He actually smiled a little as he petted the small cat, stroking her down-like fur affectionately.

"I guess there's nothing anyone can do about it now. The past is passed. All we can do is learn from our mistakes and try to better our future." he resolved sagely. Groaning quietly as he stood up, he massaged his stiff joints and walked outside, enjoying the pleasant autumn breeze as it swept playfully through his dark hair. "Maybe my future won't be so bleak after all."

* * *

><p>"Kagome-sama! Kagome-sama!" the children cried happily as they ran to the surprised miko. Sango had emerged from the hut, and was now rubbing the sleepers out of her eyes. "What's going on, Kagome?" the confused taijiya asked her friend, who raised her palms skyward and shrugged. "Beats me, Sango-chan. Are you feeling better?"<p>

"I'm not an invalid, Kagome, I'm just pregnant!" Sango laughed, putting a hand under her stomach, which was already showing a bump. Kagome smiled at her friend, then agreed. "Sorry Sango. I'm just concerned for your health. And the baby's." But Sango waved it off. "Don't be, Kagome. I can take care of myself." she assured kindly.

By this time the children had reached the two teenagers and were all trying to catch their breath. One of the girls, Atsuko, looked up happily and announced, "Inuyasha and master Miroku have returned! We just saw them coming down the road!"

Both girls gasped, exchanging a look of ecstasy before running off to greet the two boys. They had not seen each other for three months, so this reunion had been highly anticipated by all. When the two groups converged, a surprised Inuyasha was tackled to the ground by an immensely happy Kagome, who prevented any comments from the hanyou by kissing him full on the mouth. Sango took the less perilous approach–since she was pregnant–and settled for embracing her husband and letting him spin her around. After he'd set her gently back on the ground, Sango whispered to Miroku, "I've missed you so much. Welcome home, Miroku."

"Sango. I've thought about you every day since we parted." he replied, gently stroking her long brown hair as he spoke. "I didn't think it was possible, but you have grown even lovelier in my absence, my dear Sango." he complimented, his dark blue eyes shining with wonder as he put a hand on her stomach. "Especially because you are carrying my child."

Sango flushed as she looked down, a smile on her lips as she gazed at the sizable bump that represented the tiny life growing inside her. "_Our_ child, houshi-sama." she corrected happily, putting a gentle hand on Miroku's cheek. He laughed and nodded his agreement, then embraced her once again.

"Inuyasha! Miroku! You're back!" the village children cried happily, and they all surrounded the surprised hanyou and clamored for a chance to jump on him. Kagome laughed at their eagerness, then stepped aside to allow the children to approach her hapless boyfriend. He tried to escape, but then one of the children grabbed his legs and he toppled to the ground again, proceeding to quickly become the victim of a massive dog-pile. "Gah! Get off me! That tickles!" the half-demon grumbled, but he was laughing as well. He wasn't used to this sort of attention, being admired and loved rather than feared and scorned, but he could get used to it. He giggled as the kids inadvertently hit all of his ticklish spots, and his companions couldn't help laughing at the ridiculous scene he was making.

"Hey, there's a kid missing who'd love to get in on the action here." Inuyasha noticed when he'd caught his breath. "What happened to Shippo?" he asked, looking to the girls for an answer, which Kagome provided. "He received a message yesterday from some fox demons. He had to leave with them to take an important exam. He should be back sometime today."

"Heh. Speak of a demon and he shall appear. Look up there!" Miroku laughed as he pointed his finger skyward. The group looked in the proper direction, and waved when they saw a giant pink balloon floating toward them. As its shadow passed over them, the balloon popped in a puff of smoke and the kitsune dove into the group, calling, "Miroku! Inuyasha! You're back!" he cried as he landed on Miroku's face. The surprised monk stepped back a few paces, but then laughed heartily as he removed the fox-demon from his face and set him on the ground.

"I've been practicing since you guys left, Inuyasha! Watch this: 'Kaze no Tsume'!" he cried, and three deep trenches appeared in the grassy hill next to them. Everyone applauded in awe at the unexpected power of the attack, and the boy grinned proudly and took a bow. "And that's not all I can do! My 'Fox Fire' is a lot stronger too! I'm not the helpless kid that you remember anymore. From now on I'll be able to protect everyone from anything that comes our way!" he announced proudly, a gleam of determination in his eyes that his friends had never seen before.

"You have grown stronger, Shippo. I'm impressed," Miroku complimented, kneeling next to the small kitsune. "And proud. And I know that somewhere up there, your father is proud of you too, smiling down on you from heaven above."

"Thanks, Miroku." Shippo sniffled, rubbing his tears away with the back of his hand. "Hey, maybe your dad's up there too! And Inuyasha's, and Sango's– and maybe they're all friends up there, just like we are down here!" the kitsune suggested, a smile on his young face.

"That _is_ a possibility, Shippo." the monk agreed, surprised that he'd never considered it. Looking up at the endless expanse of blue, the monk smiled and wondered, _Could it be?_

_Maybe _my_ dad's up there too, and Grandma._ Kagome thought, gazing up at the clouds. _But Shippo's wrong. We aren't just a group of friends down here. We're a family._ As if to confirm her mental statement, Kohaku walked up to stand beside his sister, and Kirara jumped onto Miroku's shoulder and licked his cheek in greeting. _We're one big happy family._

* * *

><p>"Yesssss–" the demoness hissed as she gazed into her reflecting bowl at the happy family. "Cccccelebrate all you want, you foolsssss! You ssssshall never be more powerful than me, the invincccccible Ukaran! And I ssssshall sssssoon have my vengeanccccce on the onesssss who dessssstroyed my mate!" she vowed, tapping the water once to look at each member of the team in turn, starting with Inuyasha and Shippo. "My venom ssssshall not work on thessssse two, but I have other waysssss of making them sssssuffer–" she tapped the water again, "Their matesssss," lingering on Kagome and Sango. "And their friendsssss." She tapped the water once more, then cackled maniacally as she scuttled from the room, the mirror reflecting a laughing Miroku, who was blissfully unaware that at this very moment, his fate was being sealed.<p>

* * *

><p>One week later–<p>

"All right everyone, we'll see you in a few days!" Kagome called as she and Inuyasha prepared to jump through time via the Bone-Eater's Well.

"Farewell, Kagome. Take care!" Miroku answered, waving to his friends as they disappeared from sight. Walking up to the ancient structure, the monk peered down into the depths and whispered, "Come back safely, my friends."

* * *

><p>"Kagome! You're home! Hi Inuyasha!" Sota cried happily as the duo climbed out of the well into the shrine in the modern era. "Hey kiddo. What's up?" Kagome said by way of greeting, ruffling her little brother's hair. Inuyasha waved with one hand while he lifted Kagome's enormous backpack out of the well with the other. "Whew! This thing weighs a <em>ton<em>!" he complained, dropping the large knapsack to the ground with a loud thump.

"Sorry Inuyasha. I brought a lot of souvenirs back." Kagome apologized, blushing as the hanyou scowled at her. Then he sniffed in sudden interest as a certain scent caught his attention. "Hey, is there something– _burning_ out there?" he asked in confusion.

"Oh that? Grandpa's just burning some old boxes and stuff that we found in that old shed. We couldn't re-use any of them, and most of them were really dilapidated. Eaten at by mice and who-knows-what over the years." Sota explained, waving it off. "Grandpa and I found some other really cool stuff, though. Wanna see it?" he asked excitedly, and the two time-travelers nodded. They followed the boy out of the shrine that housed the well and came to a wooden shed that was emitting clouds of dust.

"I guess Grandpa's still trying to break those seals on that strange old cabinet." Sota assumed when he saw all the dust, sneezing when some of it drifted past his nose. At the looks of confusion on his sister's and Inuyasha's faces, he elaborated, "We found this strange wooden cabinet with sutras all over it, but we couldn't get it open. There was a note fixed to the doors, but it was written in a strange language and we can't figure it out. Maybe _you_ can, Inuyasha!" Sota suggested in sudden excitement.

"Guess it couldn't hurt to try." the hanyou shrugged he carefully stepped into the dusty shed, after tying a handkerchief from Kagome around his mouth and nose. "Oi, Jii-chan! We're coming in!" he warned, stepping into the one-room building.

"Oh, Inuyasha!" Grandpa Higurashi sighed as he turned and saw the half-demon. "Perfect timing! I need a strong young man to carry some of this stuff outside for me. It's too big for Sota, and I'm too old. You're the perfect man for the job." he complimented, knowing that the flattery would convince Inuyasha to fulfill any task–no matter how menial–just to prove he could.

Kagome and Sota sweatdropped when they saw how gullible their friend could be, but then just watched as Inuyasha announced proudly, "Ya got that right!" and carefully lifted a heavy, ancient jar from its place on an upper shelf. "Just try not to drop anything, okay?" the old man called, to a muffled reply of "Got it!" from Inuyasha.

_Sigh._ "By the looks of some of these artifacts, this storage house hasn't been properly cleaned since it was _built_." Grandpa observed as he inspected an old ceramic pot in the sunlight after Inuyasha had cleared everything out except the curious sealed cabinet. When he'd tried opening it, it had shocked him rather strongly with a jolt of spiritual energy, and Inuyasha had avoided it ever since. He'd tried reading the strange message as well, but he couldn't decipher it either. All he'd said was this: "It's a long-dead demon language, and the tribe that used it has been extinct for millennia. There's no one alive who can read this, and no one but its creators can figure it out."

"A _demon_ language?" Grandpa breathed, intrigued by the mystery that was increasingly deepening. "You mean some demons were so advanced as to develop a unique written dialect?"

"Sure. There're ruins of their cities on plenty of mountains. I forget the name of the tribe, but all the pictographs show that they looked like humans with bird wings. What you'd call 'angels'." he huffed, shrugging his shoulders as he sat down with a flop. "My mother had heard about them from my father, and she used to tell me about 'em when I was a kid." he added, looking up at the sky. "Unlike most demons, they were peaceful and really advanced in their technology and philosophy. They were really strong in magic and in might, but would only resort to violence for necessary defense."

"If they were such a great civilization, what happened to them? How come they died off?" Sota asked, and Inuyasha regarded him with a strange expression, sadness behind his golden eyes. It was clear that the half-demon didn't want to hurt the boy, but history can teach all of us valuable lessons, so he pressed on.

"_Humans_ happened. Their unrelenting thirst for power and insatiable hunger for wealth caused them to attack the winged demons and–through sheer force of numbers–overpower them. The mountain ruins are all that's left of their legendary race." he explained sourly, looking down at the ground. "Humans can be monstrous creatures. They're just as bad as demons. Not _all_ humans, but some." he growled, thinking of the humans who had shunned him as a child because of what his father had been.

"I'd like to find out more about these 'angel-demons'." Kagome mused aloud, and Inuyasha grinned. "I can take ya there sometime. It's not too far from where I was born and grew up. And I bet Sango knows a lot about them too, being a demonslayer and all." he commented, causing Kagome to grow even more excited. The four continued to discuss different aspects of the Feudal Era as they worked, cleaning off various artifacts and opening crates that had been sealed for centuries. Once an item had been opened, emptied and cleaned, it was put on a table outside for an antique sale the next day. Just as they had finished setting out the last artifact, Kagome's mother called out from the house, "Boys! Kagome! It's time to eat!" and everyone dropped their sweeping brooms and entered the house for supper.

…

After a delicious dinner courtesy of Kagome's mother, Grandpa Higurashi leaned back on his futon and asked, "Have I ever told you two children of the mystery of the Higurashi Shrine?" Both siblings shook their heads, and Mrs. Higurashi commented from the sink, "Ooh that's a good one, Dad. I'd like to hear it again myself." She finished washing the last dish and put it on the rack to dry, then took a seat across from Inuyasha at the table.

"Excellent. I think you'll enjoy this one then Kagome, and I'd venture that you'd appreciate it too, Inuyasha." Grandpa began, and the family leaned in on the table to better hear the tale. "My ancestor–whose name has been lost to time–was considered one of the most spiritually-powerful individuals of his day. He lived in a very different time from our own, a time of clan wars and demons and magic." Inuyasha smirked and winked at Kagome, who smiled back. Her grandfather's ancestor was from the Feudal Era.

"The man was a great monk in his prime, and became a priest shortly after his third child–a son–was born to him and his wife. History has forgotten her name too, but it _does_ tell us that she was a skilled warrior. They lived in a small village near a forest, the very one that divided the Sacred Tree and the Bone-Eater's Well. The man would travel all over the country, supporting his family by exorcising and exterminating demons that terrorized the people of villages and towns.

"One day there was a terrible fire and it nearly consumed the entire forest, save the Well and a lone tree, the very one that stands on our shrine today. No one knew what caused the fire, and to this day it has remained a mystery. But my ancestor saw this as an opportunity, an opportunity to build a better life for his family, if you'll pardon the pun." Grandpa paused to chuckle, then he continued. "The monk–my ancestor–painstakingly built this shrine beam by beam and plank by plank, making it into the beautiful place you see today. Finishing the work at sunset, he named the shrine 'Higurashi' to commemorate its completion. At some point his descendants adopted the name of the shrine as their surname, hence our name, Higurashi.

"Before his death, he is said to have hidden his staff, his wife's weapon, and two other artifacts somewhere in this shrine, but so far not one of his descendants has been able to find them, including yours truly. This is the great mystery of the Higurashi Shrine." Grandpa Higurashi concluded solemnly, and everyone applauded his impressive storytelling skills.

"Inuyasha? Would you like me to wash those robes for you? They're looking a little– um, soiled." Mrs. Higurashi offered, and Inuyasha shrugged and nodded. "Sure." he answered, removing the Robe of the Fire-Rat and handing it to Kagome's mother. Then he disappeared up the stairs for no clear reason. However when he reappeared less than a minute later, the reason was clear. He was borrowing an old baggy pair of Kagome's gray sweatpants, and had borrowed an old kariginu(1) from Grandpa's closet. He handed the rest of his own clothes to Kagome's mom with a gruff "Thanks." then sat down next to Sota as if nothing had happened, calmly scratching his ear with his foot.

"Your ancestor sounds a lot like someone we know, Jii-san." Inuyasha remarked wryly. "How likely is it that they're the same?"

"Oh, that would be as likely as finding a needle in a pile of straw as big as the moon! Without using a magnet!" Grandpa laughed, waving off the ludicrous suggestion. "The idea that my granddaughter could have befriended her own distant ancestors? Hoo! That's a good one!" he guffawed, holding his sides. Kagome, Sota and Inuyasha all sweatdropped, and Kagome's mother cautioned, "Now don't get too excited, Dad. Remember your blood pressure."

"Right, right." the old man agreed, calming down a bit. Just then the telephone rang, and Kagome's mom walked to the kitchen to answer it. "Hello? Higurashi Shrine and residence," she answered, then smiled. "It's for you, sweetie," handing the phone to her daughter.

"Ayumi-chan! Hisashiburi-desu(2)!" she greeted, pausing to let her friend talk. "Sure, I can talk to your dad. All right, see you!" she said, ending the conversation with her classmate and whispering to Inuyasha, "He's probably got some results for that venom sample I sent him. What perfect timing!" she announced, impressed. "Konbanwa(3), Dr. Tanaka. Yes, I have a minute."

While Kagome talked with the scientist, Inuyasha spotted Buyo and started playing with him just like he had on all the other occasions when he'd visited Kagome's time. "I just can't get over how you humans bred cats to keep 'em as house pets. I mean I can understand _guard dogs_, but animals like this one? Come on! He's so fat he probably can't do much."

"Yeah, Buyo's pretty useless." Sota agreed, watching Inuyasha play with the fat cat. "Although if it wasn't for him wandering into the well shrine, you would probably have never _met_ Kagome," the boy explained, looking at his surprised hero with a smile.

"Is that so? Well I guess I owe ya, kitty. You helped to save my life." Inuyasha told the cat and gave it a gentle stroke of gratitude down its back. The cat voiced his approval or thanks at the petting, then sauntered off to do whatever cats do on their own time. [In _his_ case, probably sleep. XD]

As it happened, Kagome finished her conversation on the phone just as Buyo left the room. Prompted by Inuyasha, the miko led the way outside into the warm night air so that they wouldn't be overheard by the wrong ears. "So what's up? Did your friend's father find anything interesting? Anything we should know?"

"Yeah. I'll say he did." Kagome began, a worried frown on her delicate features. "Remember those different cell samples I took of all of you? I sent those along too just to see what would happen if any of us got bitten by that spider." Kagome explained, and Inuyasha nodded, impressed by her foresight. "It did really strange stuff too, to a few of the samples–" Kagome trailed off, lost in thought and worry.

"Well go on. Like, what did it do to _mine_, for instance?" Inuyasha pressed, just a little apprehensive now, though he would never admit to it.

"The venom's reaction with _your_ blood was actually pretty mild. He guessed that it would only cause a mild fever, nausea, dizziness, quite a bit of pain, and eventual unconsciousness; that is if you were exposed to it for 24 hours or more. As for Sango's and mine, it reacted the same way it did for that little girl that you two saved. It literally eats away at the cells from the inside out until there's nothing left." Kagome supplied, and Inuyasha resolved, "Well, I'd better try my darnedest to keep you girls safe if we ever run into that thing."

"Something tells me that we will, and sooner rather than later." Kagome muttered to herself so her boyfriend couldn't hear. Inuyasha then derailed her train of thought with another question. "What about Shippo and Miroku? How would it affect _them_?"

"It didn't do anything whatsoever to Shippo's, but Miroku is the one I'm most concerned about." Kagome answered, her eyebrows so high with worry that they had disappeared into her ebony bangs. At Inuyasha's quizzical look, she continued, "Of the five of us, I think he's the one who is in the most danger. The effect that venom has on human men is so unbelievable and scary. I'm terrified just thinking about it." she shivered, the tremor having nothing to do with the warm summer's-end climate.

"What, it doesn't turn 'em into _demons_, does it?" Inuyasha joked, but when he saw Kagome's wide eyes, he knew that his far-fetched guess had been correct. This was no laughing matter. "What kind of demon?" Inuyasha asked quietly, wanting to know what he might be up against. If it came down to fighting the man he considered a brother though, he didn't know what he would do. Not at this moment, anyway. _Would I really _kill_ my best friend? I may not have a choice–_

"He didn't know. He said that it appeared to be a different strand of DNA every time he tested it." Kagome answered, a hopeless look on her face. "Oh, Inuyasha!" she cried, suddenly hugging her startled boyfriend and sobbing into his chest. "What if Miroku becomes a monster? What will we do? Kill him?" she gasped, horrified at the very thought.

"Who knows, Kagome. If he really _does_ become a monster and a danger to you or anyone else, I'll have no choice. I'll have to end him." Inuyasha growled, resolute in his decision but not liking it one bit. "But hopefully it won't come to that. Miroku's a strong guy. He can take care of himself. There's no need to worry." he added comfortingly, as Kagome looked ready to start hyperventilating.

_If I can take down _Naraku_, a tiny demon spider shouldn't be a problem._ He thought confidently as he and Kagome reentered the house to rest for the night. Inuyasha would be staying in the guest room. _I dunno what she's so worried about. This demon's gonna be a piece of cake._

How very wrong he was.

* * *

><p>Sigh. "It really is peaceful here, isn't it, Shippo?" Miroku asked his demon friend as they both walked through the forest of Inuyasha. The kitsune nodded contentedly, not even sure where they were headed, if anywhere at all. Miroku seemed to be wandering aimlessly, just going in whichever direction he pleased. "It sure is. These woods are really calming. I feel safe here, unlike other scary forests." the small fox shuddered.<p>

"This wood is a bit thinner than some of the others we've come upon." Miroku observed, inspecting the wide spaces between the trees. It was nothing at all like the other close-knit forests that were home to hordes of all manner of demons. These woods were full of light–warm and inviting–and surprisingly easy to run through. Miroku took three deep breaths, inhaling and exhaling slowly, then lithely stepped to the side as a demon-bone sickle came shooting out of the treetops.

Shippo cried out in fright and covered his head, but Miroku laughed and called, "Almost had me there, Kohaku! Your stealth technique is improving." he praised, smiling at the teenager who had dropped from the branches above. "How did you know it was me?" the young demonslayer asked, recoiling his chain and slinging it over his shoulder.

"My dear boy, if you had truly intended to cause me harm with that attack, you would have anticipated my movements and cast your weapon in a different manner. That is how I knew that our 'shadow' was no foe." the monk explained, a wry smile on his face and a twinkle of amused mischief in his gray-blue eyes. "Also I have been blessed with exceptional speed and agility. You're going to have to try harder than _that_ to beat me." he winked, causing the boy to slouch in defeat.

"I guess I really _do_ need practice." the boy commented, hanging his head. Miroku put a gentle hand on the teen's shoulder, then said in a comforting voice, "Shinpai nai(4), Kohaku. You are a strong demonslayer to be sure, but you are also still a child. The power to be strong, and the wisdom to be wise; all these things will come to you in time."

"Wow, Miroku. Who knew you could be so wise?" Shippo interjected, reminding his friends that he was there too. Both humans smiled down at the young youkai, and the fox-demon jumped onto Miroku's shoulder, tired of walking. "I mean I know you have your moments, but I wasn't expecting something so– deep." he admitted, staring at his taller friend in wonder.

"Heh. What can I say? It seems that today I am feeling– philosophical." the monk offered in explanation, shrugging his shoulders and continuing on his journey to nowhere, Kohaku following quietly behind. "The same applies to you, Shippo. Someday you too will be a man, and you'll be able to protect the ones you love. Just like Inuyasha and I do."

By this time the three boys had reached a circular clearing, in the center of which stood an ancient, lone tree; the tree to which Inuyasha had been sealed for fifty years. Miroku smiled and placed a hand on the rough bark, reciting an indecipherable prayer in a language that neither one of his companions recognized. At their looks of confusion, Miroku summarized, "It's a prayer for the tree to grow tall, beautiful and strong for many years to come. This tree is of important significance in our lives. I can feel it." he sighed, leaning on the strong trunk for support.

"I kinda figured it was a prayer or spell of some sort, but what was that language? I've never heard it before." Shippo put in, not even paying attention to what the monk last said.

"Oh that? Those are the only words I know, but it was an ancient language used by the angels when they walked this earth long ago. Master Mushin taught me that prayer as a boy, and he learned it from his predecessor, and he from his and so on and so forth." Miroku explained to his captive audience, sitting down at the base of the tree and leaning his back against the bark.

"Angels? You mean the Tenshioni(5)? My father said they were just a legend. They really existed?" Shippo cried, shocked that his father had been wrong.

"They existed all right, Shippo. In fact the ruins aren't that far from my old village. It's built at the base of the mountains on which their ruins rest." Kohaku told him, smiling at the gaping kitsune. "Maybe I'll show ya sometime." He suggested, and the fox demon agreed. "Cool!" The two boys then joined their friend, and soon all three were fast asleep in the shade of the immobile giant.

…

Hours later–as the sun was setting–a familiar figure found the napping threesome and smiled at the cute picture. Shippo was curled up in Miroku's lap, and Kohaku's head was leaning against the monk's shoulder. The houshi himself was snoozing with his chin resting on his collarbone, quiet snores escaping from his mouth and nose. The female demonslayer walked up to the trio, then knelt beside Miroku and in front of her brother and whispered, "I thought I might find you here. Come on, dinner's ready."

At the mention of food, Shippo woke up immediately and sniffed appreciatively. "Mmm. Smells good! Meet ya there, Sango!" And with that, he scampered off toward the village. Sango smiled wider and repeated the message, gently poking her little brother affectionately with her finger. He yawned and stretched, then rewarded his sister with a beaming smile as he followed after Shippo. When she reached over to tap Miroku however, she found that his left hand was doing something it shouldn't, and she responded to it in the way that she always had.

* * *

><p>"Sukebe(6)!" SLAP! "Whoa. What just happened back there?" Kohaku asked, startled by the sudden cry. "I'll give ya three guesses:" answered the kitsune, who was walking beside him, completely unaffected by and nonchalant about the whole thing. The two boys exchanged a glance, then they both started laughing. "That Miroku. He'll never learn." Shippo predicted, and that sent the boys into fits of giggles once again.<p>

* * *

><p>"You just can't help yourself, can you?" Sango asked sarcastically, glaring reproachfully at her immature husband; but she was smiling too, if only slightly. Beside her, a sheepish Miroku was massaging his own cheek now, on which was a lovely bright-red hand-print courtesy of Sango. "Forgive my rude behavior, Sango. A bad habit is nigh impossible to break." he pleaded, an apologetic grin on his face. Sango could see in his eyes that he was sincere, and she relented. But not before she threatened, "I'll break <em>something<em> if you do that again." The tone was half-joking, but the promise was real. And the monk had no doubts that the taijiya would follow through on hers if he broke his promise.

"Come on, Miroku. Let's get back to Kaede's." the demonslayer motioned, and the monk followed the taijiya out of the Forest of Inuyasha and back into the village.

* * *

><p>"Excccccelent. Thisssss isssss a perfect time to ssssseal the Well and plan my ssssstrategy. If that hanyou isssss not presssssent, I can unleasssssh my full power on hisssss unsussssspecting village. After all, with every victim claimed by my venom, I grow ssssstronger." the giant spider demon hissed gleefully, filling the Bone-Eater's Well with her special venomous silk, a strain that only affected living tissue but produced the same effects as the venom from her fangs.<p>

"Sssssoon you ssssshall be avenged my preciousssss mate, and I ssssshall be revered asssss the Queen of Arachnidsssss!" she cackled, scuttling off to cause chaos and deal death in another nearby village.

* * *

><p>3 days later–<p>

"Sayonara(7) Mama, Sota, Jii-chan!" Kagome called as she prepared to jump through the Well back to the Warring States Era. Inuyasha was right beside her, a peculiar expression on his face. Just as Kagome opened the well doors, Inuyasha barked, "Hang on, Kagome! Don't go in yet. Something don't feel right." he sniffed carefully, then grimaced. "No way I could forget _that_ scent. It's the silk of that spider demon with crazy venom. You touch that stuff, yer dead."

"So what do we do?" Kagome asked, flabbergasted. "Are we trapped here?"

* * *

><p>4 days later–<p>

"Wasn't Kagome supposed to be back by now?" Shippo asked his two friends, pacing back and forth worriedly. Kirara followed him with her eyes for a while, then yawned cutely and began cleaning off her face with her paw. She wasn't concerned. Inuyasha and Kagome would often journey into the future, and they would always come back safely, without fail. Beside the small cat, Miroku was meditating quietly, praying for the safety of his friends, his wife, and his child who would be due in five months and two weeks, give or take a day. Sango was laying down, just staring at the ceiling and thinking; thinking about all the crazy turns her life had taken in the past couple years.

"I'm going to the Well. They should have returned." the kitsune announced, leaving the hut and heading for the forest named for his friend. He ran on all fours through the darkening wood, the sun setting in the west as he raced toward the two-way portal through time. Well two-way for _some_, at least. _Man. I kinda wish that Inuyasha wasn't the only one of us who could travel to Kagome's time. I wanna see what her world is like too–_ he thought enviously. He slowed to a walk as he pondered and pouted, pushing out his lower lip and frowning, jealous of his half-demon friend.

…

About ten minutes later, he reached the Bone-Eater's Well and stepped back a pace in shock at what he saw. The well was completely covered in white, silky, gooey webs, most of it stuffed into the shaft so no one could get in or out. Shippo studied the stringy mass in disgust, then gingerly sniffed at it. "_Blech_! _There's_ a scent you don't easily forget. Bad eggs and rotting flesh. _Yecch_!" he observed, holding his nose with his hands. He tried picking the stuff up, but the moment that his hand made contact, it was zapped by an unseen force. "The work of a barrier, no doubt." he guessed, then studied the sticky webbing again. "Not even Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga could cut through this gunk. It's way too sticky. Almost like glue." Suddenly he perked up and stood up straight. "That gives me an idea!"

The small fox-boy stepped back a fair distance, then with a cry of "Fox Fire!" shot a blaze of turquoise flames at the well, careful not to burn anything but the sticky webbing from the demon spider. The blue-green flames eliminated most of the dangerous substance, but actually served to harden the remnant that was left inside of the well. "Perfect." the boy smiled, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small green-and-red wooden top, which he flung at the whitish mass and twirled it as fast as he possibly could. He cried, "Fox Magic–Smashing Top!" and the top grew to ten times its original size and shredded the remaining silk as if it were rice paper. The chunks of hardened web fell down into the pit, and Shippo celebrated to himself.

"Hah! See that, Inuyasha? Who's the helpless little kid _now_?"

"Keh. It's _still_ you, squirt. I woulda found a way back eventually." the hanyou teased, sneaking up behind the triumphant kit and startling him so much that he jumped three feet in the air.

"Yaaahh! Inu-Inuyasha? You– you big jerk! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Shippo gasped, holding a hand to his chest.

"Ah, don't be such a baby. You know as well as I do that demon hearts aren't like those of humans." Inuyasha growled, crossing his arms across his chest and glaring at the fox child.

"Inuyasha, you're going about this all wrong. You could at least say 'thank-you'!" Kagome corrected, bending down and picking up her demon friend in a hug. "Thanks Shippo." she whispered. "Anytime, Kagome." he reciprocated.

"'Thank-you' fer what? He didn't do nuthin' I couldn't have done." Inuyasha stated haughtily, and was awarded with a face-full of dirt when Kagome yelled, "Sit boy!"

Shippo shook his head and muttered, "He'll never change. Once an idiot, always an idiot."

* * *

><p><span>End of chapter (Episode) 5<span>

Next chapter teaser: Angels and Demons

Well, the gang's back together again! Yay! Now we can have more fun with the Inu-tachi!

I think Kohaku's been in that hut long enough, so he's out for good now. And Kirara's being cute again. Darn you, kitty! You know I'm a sucker for really cute things! (Just kidding. Luv ya, kitty-cat!)

The mysterious demon spider from chapter 2 hath return-ed! And she's finally got a name: Ukaran, the Black Widow Demon. (and no comments about her name being 'Naraku' spelled backwards. _She_ picked it, not me.)

Uh-oh. Miroku had better watch his back from now on. That venom could mean some nasty business if he's bitten. Look out, houshi-sama!

The 'Tenshioni' don't really exist, I just got that idea from a picture on DA, and the name of the race from a genius known as LileahWest, who wrote an amazing LoZ fic. Check it out!

I know that 'pep talk' from Miroku was extremely cheesy, but I had Tarzan songs stuck in my head when I wrote it. I claim nothing. Just borrowing again.

For all you who missed our favorite pervert, he's up to his old tricks again, although it seems he only has eyes (or hands) for Sango. Heh. Pun.

Good thing Shippo was on the ball, otherwise our two main characters would never have returned. Maybe. It's possible that Inuyasha actually was planning something–

Nah.

Translations:

**Kariginu** – the white shirt that Inuyasha wears under his 'Robe of the Fire-Rat'.

**Hisashiburi-desu** – Long time, no see! (or 'hear' in this case)

**Konbanwa** – Good evening.

**Shinpai-nai** – don't worry (Lit. worry not)

**Tenshioni** – (Literally 'angel-demon') An ancient race of angel-like demons. Believed to have developed a highly-sophisticated culture and a unique oral and written language. Now extinct. No further research available.

**Sukebe** – Pervert, lecher. Basically Miroku when he's doing something he knows he shouldn't. XP

**Sayonara** – Goodbye, farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Adios, Aloha, Au Revoir, Ciao, Adieu, etc. (take your pick)

¡Hasta la vista, baby!

Tsunami Storm


	6. Angels and Demons

Reborn chapter 6: Angels and Demons

* * *

><p>2 weeks later–<p>

"Kirara! Kirara! Where are you?" Sango called, looking everywhere for the neko-youkai. _Where could she have gone? It's not like her to disappear like this–_ the taijiya mused, tapping her cheek with her finger. "This is so strange. Huh? What's this?" she asked, picking up a small scroll and unrolling it.

_"Dear sister,_

_I hope you don't mind, but I borrowed Kirara for a short trip back to our old home. I asked you this morning too, but you were probably still half-asleep. I also took Shippo with me. He and I should be back in a few days, Kami-willing._

_I'll see you around, Onee-chan(1)!_

_Best wishes,_

_Kohaku"_

Sango smiled at the short but sweet letter from her little brother, wondering how such a gentle-hearted boy could be a mighty demonslayer at the same time. Wonders would never cease! She patted her ever-growing stomach affectionately, then walked to the small brook to fill a bottle with water. After this task had been accomplished, she wondered to herself, "I wonder where the others ran off to?"

* * *

><p>Meanwhile–<p>

"This is great, Kohaku." Shippo sighed contentedly, folding his hands behind his head and leaning backward to lay on Kirara's back. "Just you, me and Kirara. Three friends and not a care in the world." he continued, completely at ease as he watched the puffy clouds drift past as Kirara flew to her old home. He breathed in the thin, crisp air and sighed again, a smile on his young face.

"It is peaceful up here, Shippo." Kohaku agreed, staring straight on ahead to watch for potential obstacles. You never knew when a flock of birds would suddenly fly out of a cloud and surprise you. That had happened once already, and the boys were not eager for a repeat performance. Kirara's aerial dodging maneuver had successfully avoided the murder of crows, but had also caused an unsuspecting Shippo to almost fall off. Therefore, Kohaku kept watch.

"That was very kind of you, what your group did for the village of the demonslayers. Most would have just moved on. But you gave my people a proper burial. And for that, you have my undying gratitude." Kohaku commented a short time later, as they neared the familiar mountains at whose base Kohaku's old home stood.

"Nah. I didn't do much but put flowers on the graves. Inuyasha and Miroku did all the hard work." the demon argued, flushing crimson at the thanks. "Mostly Miroku. I don't think I've ever seen him so dedicated to a task, before or since." he added thoughtfully, putting a finger on his jawbone and looking pensive.

"All the same, you honored my people and properly laid them to rest. I am in your debt. In more ways than one, apparently." he added with a chuckle, abruptly lightening the somber mood. Shippo laughed too, then both boys looked downward as Kirara began to descend, the demonslayers' village just below them. Kohaku looked down upon the destroyed village in quiet sadness. His entire clan was gone, wiped out by Naraku and his demons. Then he shook himself violently. _There I go again. Dwelling on the past._ He shivered suddenly, then looked upward as a dark-gray storm-cloud loomed over their heads. _Hmm. Looks like we'll be seeing some rain. Or snow. Probably the latter, considering where we're headed._

"Hmm. Looks like we're in for some foul weather, Kohaku." Shippo observed aloud, and Kohaku had to bite back a chuckle. He'd just had the exact same thought! Kirara looked back at her young master and friend, and the boy nodded. "Land in the village, girl. I want to pay my respects. It's been a long time since I've seen my father."

Kirara nodded, and the three travelers spiraled down and landed silently in the center of the village. Kohaku and Shippo dismounted gracefully, landing nimbly on their feet as Kirara transformed from her battle form back to a kitten. She lithely hopped onto Kohaku's shoulder, and the two boys continued toward the wall surrounding the town, where Inuyasha and his friends had buried the slain villagers. Eventually they reached the grave-site, and Kohaku knelt down facing the middle of the rows. As he did not know which grave was his father's, he decided to pray for all of the souls of his neighbors and fellow demonslayers, the people with whom he and Sango had grown up.

As his friend prayed, Shippo gathered more small bouquets to place on the graves. It was the only way he felt he could pay his respects. "Father, I hope that wherever you are, that you are at peace." Kohaku prayed, and in his mind, Shippo echoed the boy's words, thinking of his own father. The two boys knelt by the graves for a long time, then Kohaku rose to his feet and motioned for the little kitsune to follow him. "The weather's getting colder. I'll make a fire in the old weapons hut. I'm sure my dad wouldn't have wanted us to freeze." he joked, but the humor didn't brighten his sad eyes. Luckily Shippo was looking the other way at the time, so he didn't see. "I'll go get some sticks for kindling," the fox volunteered, then he scampered off to find some dry branches.

Kohaku smiled, then let himself into the weapons and armor shed where his kin had crafted weapons made from demon hide and bones, as well as their armor, various poisons, and salves. The boy crumpled up some bits of old parchment, then stuck them in the unlit furnace. He would light it later, when he'd gathered some logs and Shippo returned with kindling. Kohaku wordlessly took out his demon-bone boomerang-scythe, then set it on the stone to sharpen it. He then exposed his hidden retractable arm-blades and set them on the stone as well. "While we're here, I may as well sharpen my other weapons. Who knows what horrors we might have to face in the next few days?" he muttered to himself, leaning back against the wall for a short nap.

…

"Kohaku!" "Mew!" "Wake up!" a young voice laughed cheerily. The boy groaned and rubbed his eyes, then opened them to see a grinning Shippo, a relieved Kirara, and a hearty fire burning the furnace. "How– how long was I out?" Kohaku asked groggily, rubbing sleepers from his eyes.

"Only a couple hours, but you needed it. Nothing happened, so don't worry. You didn't miss any action." Shippo laughed, and Kohaku smiled a little in response. Then the boy rose from his position against the wall and began stoking the fire, adjusting the positions of some logs so that they would burn better, hotter and longer.

"Ah, Kohaku? What're you gonna do with those?" the fox demon asked, looking at the assortment of weapons on the forging stone. Kohaku answered, "Re-forge 'em. It's been way too long, and some of these tools are way past what only a sharpening can cure. Don't worry. It won't take me very long at all. Sango's Hiraikotsu–on the other hand–that thing would take _days_. I should finish in a few hours." Kohaku assured, relaxing his friend a bit. "Like my father used to say: 'You can never be too prepared for a battle, 'cause you never know what you might find'."

"Are you expecting a fight at the ancient ruins?" Shippo asked, slightly nervous. "No, but it's better to be safe than sorry, right?" the taijiya answered, shrugging nonchalantly as he checked the fire.

"I guess that makes sense. We can go see the ruins tomorrow. I'm bushed too, and Kirara's giving me a good idea." he gestured at the small cat, who was curled up to the side of the fiery furnace, asleep. "Think I'll take a leaf out of her book and follow suit." Shippo announced, then he curled up next to her and closed his greenish-blue eyes.

Kohaku smiled, then again focused on his work. "Sweet dreams, my friend. I'll see you tomorrow."

* * *

><p>"Hey Inuyasha, there's smoke rising from one of the chimneys in the old demonslayers' village!" Kagome observed with surprise. Inuyasha merely grunted and leapt from boulder to precarious ledge as they scaled the mountain. "Do you think we should check it out? See if it's somebody we might know?"<p>

"It's probably just a random group of travelers who were just passing through. Either that or bandits. Any one of those empty houses would make a good base. I don't wanna stop until I absolutely have to, and I don't want you getting into any trouble. Remember what you said about the spider venom? It _kills_ human females. So I'm keepin' you as safe as possible. We're not goin' down there." he growled with an air of finality, effectively ending that conversation.

"Inuyasha." Kagome breathed, not expecting to hear so much love and affection in his voice. It was normally so blunt and abrupt. _He really _does_ care about me, under all that 'tough guy' exterior._

"Why the tone of surprise? You're my girl. It's my job to protect ya. And if there's one thing I ain't, it's disloyal." Inuyasha huffed as he continued up the mountain, flummoxed by Kagome, who had suddenly gone from surprised to blissfully ecstatic in the span of a few seconds. _Keh. I'll never understand how a female's mind works. Especially one like Kagome's. She should've known by now that I care about her. Does she want me to say it out loud?_

As Inuyasha jumped from ledge to ledge up the face of the mountain, Kagome glanced upward to study a group of slate-colored storm clouds surrounding the mountains' peaks. "Looks like the clouds are gonna snow on us up there. It's looking pretty ominous. Maybe we should look for some shelter." Kagome suggested, but Inuyasha disagreed and continued to press on. "We can get up to the ruins before nightfall, and we don't wanna get stuck on a mountainside tomorrow with all that snow. It's smarter to keep going." he grunted as he carried his girlfriend up the rocky paths.

"I guess you're right." the miko sighed, resting her head on Inuyasha's shoulder as he ascended. Then she spoke again. "Do you think we'll be able to find decent lodgings in the ruins? I mean, 1,000-year-old buildings tend to crumble to nothing against the hand of time."

"Eh, I'm sure we can find _some_ buildings that haven't collapsed yet." the hanyou shrugged nonchalantly. "We'll be fine." He concentrated on jumping up the mountain for the next hour after that, and Kagome rested her eyes and leaned against his shoulder. She felt totally and completely safe with Inuyasha, and she smiled as she fell asleep to the gentle rhythm of his jumps.

…

Just as the sun was setting behind them, Inuyasha and Kagome reached the summit of the mountain, and Kagome dismounted from Inuyasha's back so the hanyou could stretch his arms. The outcropping of rock on which they stood was wide enough for them to stand on without being remotely close to the edge. Inuyasha sniffed around, a familiar scent in the air. Kagome cast her eyes around, enjoying the picturesque scenery below her, stretching all the way to the horizon. "Wow," she breathed. "I could get used to a view like this!"

"Yeah, nice scenery, but I prefer a place where I can actually _breathe_." Inuyasha growled, still sniffing the thin air. "There should be some kind of entrance around here–" he muttered to himself. "Aha! Found it! This way, Kagome!" he called back, dashing off along the trail. "Hey! Wait up!" the girl called after him, running in the direction her boyfriend had. After two minutes she caught up to him, and the smug hanyou was grinning, standing at the entrance to a large cave. "Ta-da!" he crowed, and gestured for Kagome to enter first. Kagome was surprised at this unexpected, gentlemanly move, but then smiled and walked into the cavern, Inuyasha walking one step behind her.

"I don't know what it is, but I can sense a strange aura around this place." Kagome observed a while later as she and Inuyasha traveled deeper into the cave. "It doesn't feel malicious, but it's still odd."

"You think it's a demonic aura?" Inuyasha asked, glancing around warily and tensing into a protective crouch.

"No, it doesn't feel like the aura of a _normal_ demon that we've faced. It feels– weaker, and not evil at all. I can tell that it's coming from inside the cave, too." she explained, concentrating on the strange feeling that she couldn't quite identify.

"Huh. Well I guess we'd better check it out. I'll go first from now on, okay?" the hanyou asked, and Kagome nodded her assent. A flash of crimson blew past her, and suddenly Inuyasha was leading the way deeper into the cave. After a few minutes they came to a fork in the road, and Inuyasha started to sniff around, to choose the correct path. However after a minute he slumped his shoulders in defeat and sighed, "It's no good. They both smell the same. And to make matters worse, your 'flame-less torch' is about to go out."

Kagome looked at her flashlight for a minute, then realized that Inuyasha was right. The batteries were almost dead. _Great,_ she complained mentally. _What are we gonna do now?_ Wordlessly, she flipped the switch on the side of the flashlight to conserve what little power it had left, and plunged them into total blackness. However this inky darkness did not last long, for just as Kagome extinguished her light, thousands of multicolored crystals winked at them from their places in the ceiling, looking like a collection of rainbow stars.

"Wow." a surprised Inuyasha observed. "That's unexpectedly beautiful." He wouldn't normally voice such a comment, preferring to keep such un-demon-like thoughts to himself, but the sheer wonder of the sight before them caused him to speak aloud. As he looked, more crystals illuminated themselves, leading the way down the right and correct path. Inuyasha smirked and commented, "Eh, I was gonna choose this path anyway." Then he took off running down the tunnel, following the glowing gems, but not before he picked up Kagome and carried her on his back. "Humans are too slow," he growled, but it was with a teasing tone and a smirk in Kagome's direction.

The miko merely rolled her eyes and chuckled for his benefit, then let her boyfriend lead them through the mountain cave. Three more times they came to a fork in the road, and they followed the bejeweled paths whenever the choice would come. After a few minutes past the fourth fork, Inuyasha called back excitedly, "Hey, I can feel a breeze from up ahead! The air is fresh, too. We must be gettin' close to the exit!"

"Good," Kagome moaned. "because I think I'm starting to get claustrophobic."

"Claws-troh-_what_?" Inuyasha inquired, not familiar with the term.

"Claustrophobia. It's a morbid fear of being in confined, enclosed spaces." she explained, and Inuyasha scoffed. "Ah, that's all in yer head. We're fine. I can get us out of anything." he announced arrogantly. As he was speaking, a white light shone from around the next bend, and Inuyasha ran straight into it. After their eyes had adjusted to the blinding light, he added proudly, "Told ya."

"Oh, Inuyasha! It's beautiful!" Kagome breathed, finding herself at a loss for words as she took in the picturesque scenery. _I need better adjectives–_ "It's unbelievable! Am I seeing what I think I'm seeing?"

"Yep. These are the ruins of Tenshi no Toshi, the capital city of the Tenshioni. They had other cities too, but this is the only one that wasn't completely obliterated in the ancient wars." Inuyasha answered, looking around with an impressed air. "These demons really _were_ advanced." he muttered to himself, but Kagome heard it too. Inuyasha walked up to a stone statue of a life-sized, winged man with a circlet of gold on his head. "This must've been their king." he guessed, studying the name plate at the base of the sculpture. "He doesn't look all that tough."

Kagome walked over to the statue as well, and studied the man's face. "Wow. He was handsome! No wonder their race was known as 'angels'. No human could ever possess _that_ kind of beauty." She gaped at the appealing statue for a few more minutes, then tore her eyes away to investigate some of the ancient buildings. While she wandered around, Inuyasha left to go investigate what was left of the training arena, where the denizens would do battle with each other for entertainment and self-achievement.

* * *

><p>Kagome wandered through the halls of what was once a library, studying busts and figures of prominent and important individuals of the Tenshioni. <em>If this place still existed in my time, I'd probably turn this library into a museum.<em> she thought, looking at the rows and rows of empty cubbyholes that once held hundreds of scrolls. _Too bad all of these documents were lost. It must have been a vast collection of knowledge._ "Wait a minute! What's that?" she asked herself aloud, squinting up at a shelf on one of the higher levels. "Is that– a _scroll_? It must be the last one in here! Wow, this is so cool! I gotta go get it and show it to Inuyasha!"

She carefully made her way up to the second level, taking care to climb the stairs near the wall where the ancient steps would be the strongest. As she walked under the shelf where the scroll lay, she thought to herself, _Now how will I get up there?_ The shelf was about fifteen feet off the ground, and the cubbyholes under the scroll looked too small for her shoes to fit inside. Wordlessly, she slipped them off and stuffed her socks inside them, then she tested one by slotting her foot into the small space. To her pleased surprise, it was a perfect fit. _Good thing I got my mom's small feet–_ she thought happily, then she started to climb the shelf to retrieve the scroll from its ancient resting place.

The ascent proved to be fairly simple for the human girl, and she obtained the ancient roll of parchment with minor difficulty. _Hey, that was easy,_ she observed in surprise, quietly congratulating herself. She carefully tied the scroll into the red bandanna of her school uniform, then stepped down to the lower level of cubbyholes. However, Fate wasn't going to let her off that easy. As Kagome put her weight on the thin slab of stone, it cracked and broke into pieces, causing the startled girl to lose her balance and fall from the shelf. She screamed, but she knew that Inuyasha was too far away and could never reach her in time. She closed her eyes, bracing herself for the impact that would surely shatter her skull.

It never came. Kagome kept her eyes closed, but later she could have sworn that she'd heard and ethereal shout of _"Look out!"_ and a slight pressure on her right ankle. All she knew was that she'd woken up in the middle of the library on the ground floor. Her brown shoes were right beside her, and the scroll was lying on top of them, neat as you please. Kagome looked around, but the only thing she could see was a wall of rubble, circling the perimeter of the library like a stone snake. _Did the whole library collapse? Oops. I think I just demolished a centuries-old ruin. Gramps would _kill_ me if he were here–_

"_There_ you are, Kagome! I've been looking everywhere for ya! What– what're you doing just sitting in the dirt? And what's with that guilty look?" Inuyasha asked, picking his girlfriend up by the shoulders and gently setting her back on her feet again.

"Oh Inuyasha, I'm so sorry! I-I didn't mean to, but I think I just destroyed the library. I'm so clumsy, and now hundreds of priceless statues are nothing more than pebbles!" she wailed, sobbing into a flabbergasted Inuyasha's robe.

"What makes you think that building was a library? It's looked like that for centuries. _You_ certainly didn't do it. And another thing. Why the heck are you barefoot? You _want_ to cut your foot on something sharp?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and pointing at her shoes. Kagome glanced downward at her footwear, and the scroll was still resting on her shoes, hiding her white socks from view. _What can this mean? Was that a vision, or a memory?_ She picked up the scroll and held it in her hand. _No. It was real. But– how?_

"Oh, and be careful around some of these buildings. The Tenshioni were masters at manipulating time, so don't walk through any odd portals." he joked, but the warning was clear.

_Could I have just stepped back in _time_?_ Kagome wondered, shocked. _Then that voice– was I saved by an angel_? She smiled at the thought, then donned her shoes and socks and unrolled the scroll. To her surprise there were no words, only blanks that kind of reminded her of the game of Hangman. _That's strange,_ she thought with a frown. _Why would they make a scroll with nothing on it?_

"Hey Kagome! Come check this out!" Inuyasha called from somewhere ahead of her, and Kagome followed his voice quietly. "You won't believe what I found!" he beamed, holding something behind his back and practically begging Kagome to try to guess what it was. Kagome smiled, shook her head, raised her palms and shrugged, the universal sign that she hadn't the faintest clue.

"Ta-da!" he announced, producing two items from behind his back. The first was the most beautiful bow Kagome had ever seen, inlaid and beautifully decorated with gold adornments and strung with a white-gold substance that almost resembled woven hair. The other hand held an equally-exquisite quiver, with at least sixty arrows feathered with the purest white plumage. She took one out and gasped when she saw that the tip of the arrow was gold, and the shaft was made of white birch. She examined the tail of the arrow, and somehow knew that the feathers had come from the wings of an angel.

Kagome could only gape at the priceless treasures, utterly dumbfounded and unable to begin to describe them. "That bow really works, too. I found a reasonably straight stick and launched it at least a hundred feet with that thing. And it won't break easy, either. You'd have to really _try_ to break it. Same with the quiver."

"Wh-where did you find these?" Kagome finally spluttered after a minute, finding her voice again. "Oh, over there somewhere." he shrugged, gesturing over his shoulder to a building behind him. "There's all kinds of blocks of old tallow in one of those rooms. I found these sticking out of two of 'em." Inuyasha supplied, gesturing to the bow and quiver with his eyes.

"Tallow?" Now it was Kagome's turn to be confused at the unfamiliar term. "Animal fat. It was used to make candles before wax. It's a great preservative." the hanyou explained, proud that for once he knew something that Kagome didn't. "I'd be willing to bet that the rest of it contains some kind of armor–you know–for their archers. That was their predominant weapon." Inuyasha guessed.

"What about swords? I've seen pictures of and read about angels wielding flaming blades." Kagome queried, confused.

"Yeah, they used swords too, but not as often. They say that their skill with the bow was unmatched by any other race." he answered, glancing around to find a suitable shelter to camp in for the night. When he spotted one, he motioned for Kagome to follow. "But Kikyo was about as close as a human could get to their level. Actually _you're_ up there too now that I think about it." he continued as they walked. Kagome grinned at the compliment, then pointed to another building that hadn't been completely demolished. "What's that one? Wonder what they used it for?" Kagome inquired, and Inuyasha followed her finger with his eyes.

"Where? Those buildings over there are all destroyed." The hanyou answered, looking at Kagome in confusion, then back to the area. "You must be seeing an echo of the past again. How do you do that?" Inuyasha wondered aloud, but Kagome shrugged. She hadn't the foggiest idea. _Maybe it's because I come from a different time myself._

"Hey look! That house is almost completely intact. Is that where we're camping tonight?" Kagome asked, and Inuyasha nodded. "Yup. I spotted it from over by the old armory. It looks safe enough." he affirmed, turning toward it without a backward glance at the echo-building that Kagome had seen. _That building must've been the forge, since it's so close to the armory._ Kagome mused as they entered the ancient dwelling.

…

Later as they prepared to rest for the night, Kagome looked over at Inuyasha–who always dozed while sitting up–and wondered, _Should I tell him about my miraculous rescue? Nah. It would only unsettle him. Best to just let him be. He's got enough to worry about._

A shaft of moonlight shone into the building through a small hole in the roof, illuminating the ancient scroll that lay next to Kagome's backpack. As if guided by another, Kagome felt a strong, sudden urge to open the document and study it again. She did so, and the moon highlighted a single sentence that she had not noticed earlier.

_'In the darkest hour, the light of hope shines brightest.'_

_What could _that_ mean?_ Kagome wondered, befuddled by the confounding riddle. _Or maybe it isn't a riddle. Maybe it's a clue. A clue to the future. I should keep this safe. Who knows what it might tell us?_ She carefully rolled up the scroll and placed it in her backpack, tucking it in a spot where it wouldn't get squashed. _There. That should do it._ As she lay down to sleep, she looked over at Inuyasha and whispered, "Good night."

The half-asleep half-demon looked up with a "Huh?" but then smiled and echoed her statement. "Good night Kagome." He looked up at the full moon, then down at his sleeping girlfriend, whispering so quietly that he thought she couldn't hear, "I love you."

But Kagome _did_ hear it, and a smile lifted the corners of her mouth as she sank beneath the gentle waves of unconsciousness.

* * *

><p>The next morning–<p>

_Cough. Cough._ "Oh, houshi-dono. Be ye unwell?" Kaede asked Miroku as he sharpened his staff with a whetstone. "It's nothing, Lady Kaede. I'm fine." he argued, before succumbing to another round of deep, harsh coughs. "You don't _sound_ 'fine'." Sango observed, glaring at her husband to tell the truth. She felt his forehead before he could lean away and compared it to her own. "Miroku, you're burning up! Why didn't you say something?" she chided.

"I _did_ say something. I'm as healthy as a horse. It's just a little cough, and my head feels warm because I've been outside in the sun for hours. I'm fine." he repeated, looking askance at his wife. "You look so beautiful in blue. You should wear it more often." he commented, caressing one of her shoulders gently and enjoying the feeling of the soft, smooth fabric of Sango's new kimono. The demonslayer blushed at the compliment, replying, "You don't look so bad in purple yourself, houshi-sama." Then she kissed him lightly on the cheek.

Now it was Miroku's turn to flush pink. "These were my father's robes. The last memento I have of him. Other than my reflection, of course." he chuckled lightly, but the humor didn't reach his eyes. He would always be in a somber mood when the subject of his father came up.

"You look like your father?" Sango asked in interest, studying Miroku and trying to imagine what his father would have looked like.

"Yes. Mushin used to joke that there were two of my father running around the temple, but that one of them shrunk." the monk chuckled, his thoughts in the past. "I got my mother's blue eyes. His eyes were brown." Miroku explained, gazing at Sango with his navy-sapphire eyes. Sango frowned, trying to imagine it, but to no avail. Changing the subject, Sango questioned, "What happened to your mother, houshi-sama?"

Miroku frowned and looked at the ground, the memory still painful for him to recall. "She died right after I was born. There were– complications. These earrings are all I have left of her." He stated quickly, pointing to the two small hoop earrings in his left ear. He felt bad about lying to her, but the truth would hurt her more.

"I'm sorry, houshi-sama." was her only reply, and she looked down at the ground as well. "I lost my mother when Kohaku was born. We're alike in yet _another_ way, Miroku. We're both orphans." She picked up a long stick and started drawing with it absently in the dirt. Just then Miroku started coughing violently again, but waved away her assistance when she offered to help. "It's nothing, Sango." he repeated, but the demonslayer could tell that he was being less than honest.

"I– I think I'll go inside and have a drink of water." Miroku said to excuse himself from the taijiya's company, but when he stood to his feet, something strange happened. He started to feel lightheaded and his vision turned black as pitch, despite it being the middle of the day. "What's– happening?" he mumbled in disillusionment, then collapsed to the ground, unconscious. The last thing he heard before darkness took him was Sango's cry of alarm. "Miroku!"

* * *

><p><span>End of chapter (Episode) 6<span>

Next chapter teaser: Spirits and Angels

So now it's Kohaku, Shippo and Kirara's turn for a little expedition! Hope they have a good time!

We get some InuKag moments too! But who was Kagome's mysterious savior? Did she really go back in time? Was it a ghost? Could it be both? Wait, why am I asking you guys? _I'm_ the author! XD

I got that 'cave-maze-crystal' thing from Avatar: the Last Airbender. All credit goes to Mike and Bryan for that. And Nickelodeon. Just borrowing. I own nothing!

And there's more MirSan moments. Of course. But now Miroku's sick! Will he recover? I kinda left you guys with a cliffhanger again, didn't I?

Review please!

Translations:

**Onee-chan** - Big sister.

Sayonara!

Tsunami Storm


	7. Spirits and Angels

Reborn, an Inuyasha fanfic by Tsunami Storm

Chapter 7: Spirits and Angels

* * *

><p>"You all set, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked as the two prepared to leave the next morning. "Yep. I'm ready." the miko called back as she pulled the brush through her hair before packing it back into her bag. She put the enormous knapsack over her shoulder and walked out of the ancient house behind Inuyasha. When she came to the open doorway, she stopped and gasped in wonder.<p>

"Wow! It's like a winter wonderland!" Kagome observed as she looked around at all the buildings in awe. The ones that were still standing sparkled with icicles that hung from the eaves, and a thick blanket of snow covered the ground, sparkling as the sunlight reflected off of hundreds of snowflakes.

"Yeah, great. Just more 'fun' terrain I have to run through." Inuyasha complained as he put his arms behind him, the signal for Kagome to get on his back. She obliged, but not before asking, "Why _are_ you always barefoot, Inuyasha?"

"It's just easier." he answered as he took off, choosing an alternate route out of the city. After all, their destination was on the opposite side of the mountain from the demonslayer's village. "Sandals and tabi(1) would only slow me down, and I can get better traction on the ground with my own feet than some slippery shoes." he shrugged, adding to himself, _Besides, shoes are kinda hard to come by in this time. They're expensive, and I don't exactly have a huge wallet. Plus they'd get worn out in no time with all the running I do._

"Yeah, but this way your feet freeze." Kagome argued, but Inuyasha shrugged again. "They'll thaw." He reached another cave–one opposite the one that they had used yesterday–and ran inside, glad to be out of the cold snow.

"Hey Inuyasha?" Kagome asked a while later. "Where are we going?" The hanyou smiled mischievously, answering, "Just thought we'd take a different route home. It's actually a bit shorter than going back the way we came." he explained, avoiding the answer to her question on purpose. But then he elaborated. "You once mentioned that you wanted to see where I grew up. That's where I'm takin' ya."

"Wow! Really?" Kagome gasped. "I get to see the castle where your mother lived with you as a child?"

"Yep. That's where I was born." Inuyasha answered, a soft smile on his face as he remembered his mother, Lady Izayoi. "I gotta warn ya though. It ain't much to look at." Inuyasha explained as he ran through the cave. "After my mother died, everyone abandoned the castle including me, though I was only a little older than Shippo at the time. It's probably in a terrible state of disrepair by now."

"Ah, I don't care. It's still gonna be neat to see it." Kagome shrugged, and Inuyasha smiled. Despite his nonchalant attitude, he too was looking forward to seeing his childhood home again. They came to the end of the cavern, and Kagome blinked as the bright sunlight shone in her eyes. "Here we go. Hold on back there, Kagome!" Inuyasha called back, then he began his descent down the mountain.

* * *

><p>"Come on Shippo, Kirara." Kohaku called as he left the old forge of the demonslayers, all his weapons in perfect working order. "It's time to go!" the boy adjusted his pack a little higher on his shoulder as the kitsune and cat-demon walked out of the door. Kirara changed into her battle form, and Shippo climbed up on her head as Kohaku climbed on her back. Once she was sure that her passengers were situated, Kirara bounded into the air and headed toward the peak of the nearest mountain.<p>

…

After about an hour of flying, Kirara touched down in the ruins of Tenshi no Toshi, then let her passengers off so that she could return to her normal form. Kohaku surreptitiously checked through his arsenal of weapons, verifying that everything was where it was supposed to be. Unfortunately Shippo spotted his little inventory check. "Are you expecting something to happen, Kohaku?"

"No, but one can never be too cautious." he answered cryptically, finishing his mental check-off and smiling at the kitsune. "These ruins have been abandoned for a long time. Who knows what kinds of creatures could have made this their new home. It's better to be safe than sorry." he imparted sagely, and Shippo quivered. "Cut it out, Kohaku. You're making me nervous."

Kohaku laughed. "Don't worry, Shippo. You've got an experienced demonslayer and a powerful cat-demon on your side. And _you're_ no pushover either. We'll be fine." He looked around the ruins with interest, studying some of the less-dilapidated buildings and sighing. He could still see evidence of the battle that decimated the Tenshioni hundreds of years before. There were burn and scorch marks on the walls, chips in the stone blocks from swords, spears and arrowheads, and cracks in the walls from flying debris.

"Wow. They really _were_ angels!" Shippo breathed, gaping at the larger-than-life statue of the king of the Tenshioni. "Their wings were huge! They're like twice the size of the body!"

"Yeah. The wings had to be big to be able to carry them. Although, the Tenshioni had hollow bones–kinda like birds–so they aren't as big as you'd think. Also I think their muscular and organ structure is different from ours. They were born to fly, so their anatomy is designed to be more streamlined and lighter than humans." Kohaku explained, studying the statue next to his friend. "Other than that though, they were mostly like humans, or demons that can take human form like Sesshomaru or his father, Inu no Taisho."

"You can tell _all that_ just by looking at a statue?" Shippo asked, amazed and impressed at his friend's analytical skills.

Kohaku reddened a little at that in a moment of bashfulness and elaborated, "Well, _that_ and prior knowledge. I knew about the bone structure before, but I could just tell that the muscles and organs are different from ours– er, humans."

"Cool! D'you think that you could teach me how to see that kind of stuff? I think it would be really helpful in the future. Maybe for more demons that we might encounter."

"Sure can. I'd be happy to pass on some of my knowledge." Kohaku answered, grinning at his friend. After a few minutes more of studying the sculpture, the two boys and cat-demon left to tour the rest of the ancient city.

…

"There's one thing I'm curious about with the Tenshioni." Shippo began a few minutes later as they walked. Kohaku looked at him. "D'you think that the Tenshioni babies were born like humans or like birds? Did they lay eggs or were they mammals?"

"That's a good question, Shippo." Kohaku answered, turning pensive as he considered his answer. "My father told me that they were born as humans are, but that they developed their wings after a few weeks. It's kinda like the metamorphosis of a caterpillar to a butterfly, minus the cocoon. Remember: the Tenshioni were masters of magic. They could go into a hibernation state in which their wings would develop naturally without any pain. That was actually the defining trait that made them demons, the magic. After all, _humans_ can't grow wings." he joked, lightening the mood a little. Shippo laughed, and they continued on through the city.

"They _did_ have one major disadvantage, though." Kohaku continued, lowering his eyes. "Even though they were masters of magic, unparalleled in their skills with the bow and downright _deadly_ when it came to sword and hand-to-hand combat, they were easily susceptible to injury. Especially broken bones. Because their skeletons were hollow, their bones would break more easily than ours would, and for that reason they wore extremely strong, elaborate armor. Light enough to fly in, but tough enough to protect them."

"They must've been really good craftsmen too then, huh?" Shippo commented as the three walked through the ruined city.

"Yeah, they were. I kinda wish some pieces of their armor had survived. It would've been a sight to behold, that's for sure." Kohaku answered. "Before their destruction, my father told me that the angel-people were revered far and wide for their skill in forging treasures, armor, weapons, anything. That skill was only surpassed by their skill in battle, despite the fact that they were a peaceful race. And _demons_ at that. It's quite the oxymoron, isn't it? A race of _peaceful_ demons." Kohaku laughed, and Shippo laughed with him. "Hey! Not all demons are evil! My father never hurt _anyone_ if he didn't have to! And the same goes for me!"

"I know, I know. I'm just teasing." Kohaku chuckled, smirking at the kitsune walking beside him. Then they both laughed again and resumed their pace, taking in the ruins with wonder and awe on their faces.

* * *

><p>Miroku woke to the feeling of a cold, wet cloth on his forehead. He felt the presence of someone beside him, and he looked down to his right to see Sango asleep on the wood floor next to him. Between them was another bucket of cold water with a small cloth floating inside it. Miroku guessed that it was used to help bring his fever down. He had heard Kaede-sama and Sango talking earlier, saying something about the risks of having a fever as high as his for too long. Miroku still felt quite disoriented, but already he could sense that his temperature had lessened somewhat from earlier. He spotted a small item next to him on his other side that he recognized as one of Kagome's tools from the future. He couldn't remember at the moment what it was called, but he <em>did<em> recall how it worked. He put the smaller end of the thermometer under his tongue, then waited for the tool to do the rest.

After a few seconds, the device beeped twice in quick succession, and the monk removed it and looked at the number displayed on the small screen. _Hm. 40.4ºC [≈104.7ºF]. Kagome said once that a normal body temperature is around 37ºC [98.6ºF]. I guess my fever has gone down a little bit. It was 40.5ºC [≈105ºF] earlier._

The shrill beeping of the thermometer woke Sango, and she gasped, "Oh, Miroku! You're awake! Thank Kami-sama, we were so worried!" Her husband graced her with a weak smile and Sango returned it, relieved that Miroku finally seemed to be on the mend. She removed the cloth from his forehead–which was no longer cold–and replaced it with the wet one from the bucket. "That feels– so good." he whispered as he closed his eyes, a peaceful smile on his face.

…

"Sango, you don't need to stay with me like this. I'll be fine on my own for a few hours. You should get some rest." Miroku suggested after another minute. He smiled a little when she shook her head, stubbornly choosing to stay by his side. "Besides," he added, "I don't want _you_ to get sick too."

"I concur with the monk, Sango." Kaede agreed as she entered the hut, carrying another pitcher of water from the nearby stream. "Ye should rest as much as possible, for your sake and for the child."

"I'll be okay. Trust me. Go get some rest." Miroku urged, and he said it with such love in his eyes and in his voice that Sango gasped. _Wow. He really _has_ changed from that lecherous pervert that I met so long ago. –That pervert that I fell in love with–_ She shook her head to clear her thoughts and did as Miroku and Kaede suggested, leaving the hut to go rest.

Miroku sighed quietly and turned pensive. _I wonder how the others are doing. Shippo and Kohaku said they were going to check out some ancient ruins today, and Inuyasha and Kagome should be on their way back by now. Kami-sama, please protect them on their journeys and keep them from harm._

* * *

><p>"Oh, Inuyasha." Kagome gasped. "It's more beautiful than I'd ever imagined!"<p>

They were standing on a ledge about a hundred feet above the base of the mountain, looking over the manor that Inuyasha had been born in and lived in as a child. All the trees around the place were colored in shades of red, orange and golden leaves, some of the leaves having already fallen to the green grass below them. A small stream flowed through the area, surrounding a small island that was bordered by gigantic hydrangea bushes. A small bridge connected the island to the mainland, and the stream sparkled almost happily as it flowed through the grounds.

"Huh. It doesn't look as bad as I'd thought it would." Inuyasha observed, moderately surprised. "Sure everything looks overgrown, but the buildings have stayed more or less intact. I'm impressed that it's survived this long."

Kagome could only nod in agreement, struck speechless by the picturesque scenery. She got back on her boyfriend's back and they descended the mountain, heading toward the castle.

"I'm actually surprised this place hasn't been taken over by a demon yet." the hanyou continued as they leapt toward the structure. "Normally a castle like this would be an ideal dwelling for all kinds of demons and apparitions. Wonder why it's still deserted?" he muttered this last part to himself, confused at the unnatural silence that surrounded the area. Not even the sounds of birds could be heard. The utter lack of sound was eerie, unnerving the miko and causing the wary hanyou to scowl.

"Somethin' ain't right here–" Inuyasha growled. "I can't put my finger on it, but the feeling is still there."

Eventually they reached the castle and jumped over the wall, landing in the courtyard. Inuyasha let Kagome climb down, then began sniffing around the place. "There _is_ something weird here," she agreed, "But it doesn't feel malicious. Just like Tenshi no Toshi."

"You can sense it too? Good. That means I'm not the only one." Inuyasha commented, feeling slightly better about the matter. _So I'm not chasing after things that aren't there. But what could this scent be? It almost smells familiar, and yet I _know_ I've never smelled it before._

"So how 'bout it, Inuyasha?" Kagome suddenly asked, making the tense hanyou start with surprise. "How about giving me the grand tour?"

Inuyasha grinned at his girlfriend at that, then shrugged, "Sure, why not. Hop on Kagome."

Kagome did as she was asked, then she and the half-demon took off. They decided to start at the back of the mansion and work their way back to where they were in the front courtyard. The last room they came to was his mother's old room, the room where Inuyasha was born.

"Sure is musty in here." Inuyasha complained, sneezing in reaction to all the dust. "And there's still a lingering scent of blood. My mother's blood, and– no, that's impossible." he stated. _Could this scent that I'm detecting belong to my–_

"Uh, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, her tone suddenly seeming frightened. Inuyasha quickly turned to his girlfriend, and saw that she was staring wide-eyed at something that he obviously couldn't see. He squinted in the correct direction and thought he barely saw the outline of something standing right in front of his girlfriend. Kagome however could apparently see it quite clearly.

"What is it, Kagome? What do you see?" the boy asked, looking between the fuzzy outline and his girlfriend.

"This is going to sound crazy. I _know_ it's impossible, but– I think it's the spirit of your father." she breathed.

"_What_?" the teen gasped, completely struck speechless at this revelation. _Is it an echo of the past again, or is she really seeing the ghost of my father?_

"He's– he's smiling at you, Inuyasha." Kagome answered after a minute, echoing the spirit's expression as she looked at the half-demon. "I can see in his eyes that he's proud of you. With good reason."

"He's– proud of me?" the boy breathed, disbelief still in his eyes as he watched the spot that Kagome was looking at. He could barely see the outline, but even that looked like the drawings of his father in his 'human' form that his mother had shown him as a child.

"_That_ must be why the demons avoid this place!" Kagome realized. "They must sense your father's presence and his lingering demonic aura. He must've been something else when he was alive."

"You have no idea." Inuyasha grinned, happy to brag about the father he'd never known. "He commanded thousands of demons, and all of them followed him without question. Not just _any_ demon can do that. He ruled over the lands of the west–unmatched by any other demon–until his battle with Ryukotsusei– the day he died." he trailed off, lowering his gaze to his feet.

Inuyasha suddenly felt a slight pressure on his shoulder as if someone's hand was there, but when he looked, there was nothing there to see. Kagome was still looking at the spectral entity, although now she wore an awed smile on her face. A whisper of wind blew by–a warm, gentle breeze that somehow washed away all his worries. The boy could almost hear two words in the gentle whisper, as if someone had spoken. _"My son."_ the voice seemed to say. He felt a brush of something against his forehead, then another warm breeze blew by and the outline vanished.

Kagome was looking at him with the oddest of expressions on her face. It was something between astonishment and fawning, looking like she was about to say 'Aww!', her brown eyes sparkling like amber.

"What just happened?" Inuyasha asked, once again confused.

Kagome sighed happily and explained. "He put his hand on your shoulder and kissed your forehead. I don't think I've ever seen such a gentle kiss in my whole life. Then he left, smiling."

"So he's finally at peace." Inuyasha whispered, tiny tears budding at the corners of his eyes. "All these years, he was waiting here for _me_. To say goodbye." To himself he thought, _Rest in peace, old man. You've earned it._

* * *

><p>"Hey Kohaku! Come check this out!" Shippo called, and the demonslayer followed his friend's voice to the old armory. "Remember how you said that you wished some pieces of armor survived? Well take a look at these!"<p>

"Wow Shippo! You hit the jackpot!" Kohaku gasped in awe, even though he was only looking at large lumps of tallow. Some edges of metal were sticking out of the animal fat, so they could tell more or less what the pieces were. "Let's find some kindling and build a fire. Then we can get all this tallow off and see what the armor looks like." he suggested.

"Good idea." the kitsune nodded, walking out the doorway and out to the rest of the ruins. Kohaku left too, searching the nearby structures for pieces of wood that they could use. Approaching the ruins of the old forge, he spotted a giant cauldron and thought to himself, _Score! This must be what they used to melt the metal for their armor and weapons. We could use this to melt off the tallow._

…

Less than a half an hour later, the cauldron sat upon a circle of logs, which were burning brightly with flames started by Shippo's Fox Fire. Each piece of tallow had been skewered on a stick and suspended the piece of armor above the empty cauldron, dripping the liquid fat into the belly of the pot. After each piece had been freed from the tallow, Kohaku would remove the piece from the stick and rub off any remaining fat with a piece of cloth.

"This suit of armor looks a little too big for us." Shippo observed as he helped clean off the breastplate. "It looks more like it would fit someone like Inuyasha or Miroku."

"Yeah, I guess this one is an adult size. I don't think they made armor for the children." Kohaku agreed, studying the chain mail shirt that they'd found. "This is the most impressive craftsmanship I've ever seen, though. I don't think it's possible to make the chain links as small as this without magic. They really _were_ masters of metalworking–" he breathed, studying the armor appreciatively.

"Wow, there's even gold designs worked into here! This armor set must've belonged to someone really important. Maybe even the king," Shippo exclaimed. "Maybe it was his 'ceremonial armor' for special occasions and stuff like that."

"No, I don't think so." Kohaku disagreed. "It feels more like battle armor. It's more durable than a ceremonial outfit would be. Hey look," he pointed to a section of the backplate. "Here's where the wings came out of the back. Hmm. Their shoulder blades must be a lot like ours, if not the same. I can imagine exactly where the bones of the wings would connect to a human's shoulder blade." he muttered to himself at the end.

"I guess they helped each other with their armor. It'd be pretty difficult to put this armor on alone, especially considering those wings of theirs." Shippo guessed, and Kohaku nodded. Near the wall where the boys had placed the cleaned pieces of armor, Kirara sniffed at the helmet, cocking her head from side to side. Her curiosity getting the better of her, she cautiously fit her head inside the helmet and somehow got it stuck. Unable to get it off by herself, she mewed at her two friends to help, and Kohaku and Shippo snorted with laughter at how silly she looked. "Oh man, you look so funny with that helmet on, Kirara! I wish I had that thing of Kagome's that draws a picture within a few seconds [aka a camera]. She would _love_ this!" the kitsune laughed, wiping tears from his eyes as Kohaku helped the cat-demon out of the helmet.

Once the helmet was off, Kirara shook her head and then proceeded to clean herself off, embarrassed that she'd gotten herself into that mess. Kohaku and Shippo chuckled again at the curious cat-demon, then continued to clean off the large breastplate. _Good thing I brought this extra pack with me._ Kohaku thought to himself. _Now we can carry these armor pieces back to show to the others back in Kaede's village._

…

Hours later, the two boys finally finished cleaning off the rest of the armor pieces and packing them carefully into Kohaku's spare pack, which Kohaku then shouldered. "Wow. This armor is nearly weightless, yet I can tell that it's as durable as that armored shell that Moryomaru had from that one demon-turtle." Kohaku observed, once again marveling at the smithing skill of the Tenshioni. Outside the old armory, it had grown dark while the boys were cleaning off the pieces of armor. Since it was too dark to make the journey home, Kohaku and Shippo decided to stay in Tenshi no Toshi for the night. They chose one of the few dwellings that hadn't collapsed yet, and Kohaku built a small fire to roast some fish and mushrooms that he had scavenged in Kaede's village. After they had eaten, the boys and cat-demon curled up to sleep for the night, knowing that they would need plenty of energy to make the journey home in the morning.

…

"Kohaku! Wake up, quick!" Shippo cried, his terror breaking through his voice, making it sound much higher than it normally was. Kohaku roused from the waves of unconsciousness and rubbed his eyes, still groggy from sleep. "We're surrounded!"

The young demonslayer started awake, his eyes wide with shock and a little bit of fear. All around them were clicking the pincers of legions of spiders and spider demons, bringing back bad memories of Naraku.

"Kohaku! What're we gonna do?"

* * *

><p><span>End of chapter (Episode) 7<span>

Next chapter teaser: A Flaming Realization

Boy, this chapter took forEVER! Sorry about that!

Inuyasha and Kagome are on their way home, and Kohaku and Shippo finally get to Tenshi no Toshi. Yay! It looks like Miroku will recover just fine from his illness too.

I was having a major case of writer's block on what to put in this chapter, so I asked my co-writer for 'Empire of Shadows' for ideas. Thanks again, Sailor Phoenix1997! It was his/her idea to put the spirit of Inuyasha's father in.

You just HAD to be cute again, didn't you, Kirara? Ooo, I just wanna pick you up and cuddle you like a fluffy baby! You're TOO cute! *dies from cuteness*

–And I ended with a cliffhanger AGAIN. I can't help it, it makes the story interesting!

Translations:

**Tabi** – Put simply, the white socks that the people sometimes wore under their sandals.

Ja ne, minna-san!

Tsunami Storm


	8. A Flaming Realization

Reborn chapter 8: A Flaming Realization

* * *

><p><em>"Kohaku! Wake up, quick!" Shippo cried, his terror breaking through his voice, making it sound much higher than it normally was. Kohaku roused from the waves of unconsciousness and rubbed his eyes, still groggy from sleep. "We're surrounded!"<em>

_The young demonslayer started awake, his eyes wide with shock and a little bit of fear. All around them were clicking the pincers of legions of spiders and spider demons, bringing back bad memories of Naraku._

_"Kohaku, what're we gonna do?"_ Shippo asked fearfully, stepping closer to his friend and away from the demon spiders. "We're trapped in here, there's no way out!"

It was true. The spider demons surrounded the friends on all sides, cornering them against the back wall of the dilapidated dwelling. They were even crawling on the rafters of the rotting roof, clicking their pincers and hissing triumphantly. "Yesssss. We've trapped the demonssssslayer and the child fox– Sssss– our missssstresssss will be pleasssssed." the arachnid hordes hissed, congratulating themselves. Meanwhile the two demons and human were desperately trying to figure out a way to escape with their lives.

Suddenly Kohaku got an idea as he was looking around. "Psst. Shippo." the boy whispered, catching his friend's attention. The kitsune turned to look at his friend, and Kohaku pointed to Kirara's feet, which were covered in flames. "See how these spiders are creating a wide berth around Kirara? They must be afraid of fire. That's how we'll get out of here."

All right, I got it!" Shippo announced, then he cried, "Fox Fire!" throwing tongues of blue fire around the ancient house and setting the wood aflame. "Sssss!" the spiders screeched in pain, fear and surprise as the flames consumed their ranks, decimating the hordes as wildfire through a dry forest.

Thinking quickly, Shippo created a barrier of his Fox Fire around himself and his two friends, shielding them from the heat and the flames. He was worried though, because his barrier could not repel physical blows–such as a flaming beam falling on top of them. Which was exactly what was about to happen. One of the rafters was hanging on by only a splinter of wood when suddenly it snapped, plummeting to the ground below, the boys and Kirara right under it. Shippo covered his head in a fruitless attempt to protect himself, and Kohaku and Kirara jumped out of the way.

However, something happened that no one was expecting. A strong barrier suddenly appeared around them right as the piece of wood made contact with the shield, splintering the blazing beam into pieces and casting them harmlessly aside. Kohaku and Kirara sighed in relief, and Shippo gasped. "That was close! Good thing this barrier was here– but who created it?" he asked, searching the area with his sixth sense. "It feels– sort of familiar. Like the person who created it is someone we know. But who–?" the kitsune trailed off, flummoxed by the mystery.

"I don't know, Shippo." Kohaku answered, crouching low to keep under Shippo's fox fire barrier. "I kinda recognize it too, but I can't place it. It almost feels like a demonic barrier, and yet it still feels like I've encountered it before." he stated, cupping his chin with his hand in thought.

Around them the fire was burning itself out, having consumed everything flammable in the room that wasn't shielded by a barrier. Scattered in piles around them were the ashes of the fire's victims, charred beyond recognition and burnt to a crisp. A foul smell permeated the area when Shippo finally let down his barrier and the other mysterious one disappeared, and the boys had to hold their noses with one hand as they picked their way out of the wreckage. Kirara had returned to her kitten form and was riding on Kohaku's head, covering her own sensitive nose with her twin tails.

"Eww. Burnt spider smells disgusting!" Shippo complained, holding his nose with both hands when he had finally exited the remains of the building. Kohaku nodded as he walked up beside him, and the two boys and cat demon flew out of the crater and the remains of Tenshi no Toshi. "Come on, guys. Let's go home." Kohaku suggested, and both demons agreed.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile–<p>

"Tadaima, minna-san!" Kagome called as she and Inuyasha passed through the reed doorway to Kaede's hut. Everyone present looked up with a smile, which was only Kaede and Miroku at the moment. Inuyasha and Kagome smiled back, and the hanyou sat down next to the wall near Miroku and sniffed once. "What's got you down, Miroku?" he asked in a teasing tone. "It's rare to see _you_ layin' on your back."

Miroku chuckled lightly, then regretted it when the simple action aggravated his sore throat. "I'm afraid that I've caught a cold, Inuyasha. I had a bit of a high fever and I'm not strong enough to sit up, at least not by myself. It also hurts to speak." he added, his voice hoarse and strained.

"Wow. You sound _awful_, Miroku!" Kagome said, concerned for her friend. "I might have some medicine in my bag that could help. Here, I'll look for it." she offered, and removed the giant backpack from her shoulders and set it on the wooden portion of the floor, opening the top flap and digging through the multitude of items. After about a minute of searching, she found what she was looking for. "Here we go." she found a water bottle, unscrewed the cap, then added the powdered mixture and shook the bottle so that the substance would dissolve.

"You're going to need to drink all of this, Miroku. It's orange-flavored, so it's not an unpleasant taste. I know your throat must hurt a lot, but please try to finish it all." she explained, offering the bottle to her friend, who took it gratefully. With Inuyasha's help he managed to sit up against the wall of the hut, then took a sip from the bottle.

"It tastes like that antidote mixture that you gave me when we encountered the Saimyosho for the first time." Miroku commented, recalling his first encounter with Sesshomaru, Jaken and their giant demon slave. It was the first time that Miroku had ever been poisoned by the insects of Hell–or Saimyosho– and it was to be the first of many.

"Yeah. The soda that I mixed it with was also orange-flavored." Kagome answered distractedly as she searched for something else in her enormous yellow bag. After a few more minutes she found it, then took a small package out and walked over to Kaede. "Kaede-ba-chan, could you boil some water for tea? The root of the cone flower–or echinacea–is perfect for dealing with a sore throat." Kagome asked the elderly miko, and she nodded. _Good thing Mom is so knowledgeable about these sorts of things. I'm glad she told me about them when Sota and I were growing up._

…

Five minutes later Kagome put a teabag into a mug, and Kaede poured the hot water over it so that it could steep. "You'll have to drink this while it's hot, Miroku. It might not taste the greatest, but it'll help to heal your throat."

"I understand, Kagome-sama. Thank you for all your help." he answered weakly, giving her a warm smile even though he was exhausted. This illness had affected him more strongly than he'd thought it would.

"Something else that helps is hot lemon juice mixed with a teaspoon of honey, but we can't get those things around here." Kagome muttered to herself, but loud enough for her companions to hear too. "It's the wrong season for lemons, and I doubt that we'd be able to find honey anywhere around in this area. I'll have to go back to my time to get that stuff." she packed the rest of the items back into her backpack and then sat down next to Kaede, watching Miroku as he slept.

"By the way, where's Sango?" Kagome whispered, not wanting to wake the monk. "The demonslayer is staying in another hut, resting. This pregnancy is a bit difficult for her, as it be her first. She needs all the rest she can get in these days." the elder miko answered, and Kagome nodded. Although she didn't know much about pregnancy, she _did_ recall that her mother had often been tired when she was pregnant with Sota. That's when Buyo came into the family, to keep little Kagome company while her grandpa worked at the shrine and her mother rested. Their father was no longer around, as he had died in a car crash just a month after Sota was conceived.

_I wonder what Dad looked like._ Kagome wondered to herself as she washed a cloth in cold water, intending to use it to reduce Miroku's fever. _Mom always said that Sota looks just like our father, but I can't picture it. Whenever I try to imagine an older Sota, I get an image of _Miroku_ with brown eyes and no ponytail. What could _that_ mean?_ she asked herself mentally, then shoving the question to the back of her mind for a later date. She had enough things to worry about now without adding another mystery to her plate.

* * *

><p>A week later, in the evening–<p>

"Hey, you're finally out and about, Miroku! It's about time!" Shippo laughed as he scampered past Kaede's hut on his way to see Kohaku. The monk smiled at his young friend, glad to be out in the fresh air instead of cooped up in that dark hut all day for over a week.

"Indeed it is, Shippo." he laughed back, and the kitsune grinned wider. "I guess that means you're illness is gone then, huh?" he asked, and Miroku nodded. "I'm not quite back to my full strength yet, but I feel better than I have all week. It's good to see the sun again. Sort of." he joked, breathing deeply and taking in the scents of the dying day.

"I bet it is." Shippo commented, continuing their conversation. "You've been in that hut for days on end, barely moving. In fact, sometimes you were so still that I thought you'd left us."

"I'm sorry to have worried you, Shippo. Normally I'm a very 'still' sleeper. I don't move around a lot even when I am well. Since that illness made my muscles sore, my movement was reduced even further. By the way, where are the girls? I haven't seen them around all day." Miroku asked, looking around for Kagome and his wife Sango, who were nowhere to be found.

"Oh, they went off with Inuyasha and Rin to do some– what did Kagome call it? Landscaping?" the kit answered. "I think they're working on constructing something, something big. I saw Inuyasha moving some pretty big rocks around in the forest near the Bone-Eater's Well. I can't figure out what it is they're building, though." the fox boy huffed, stumped by the mystery. "They wouldn't tell me, just smiled mischievously and told me it's a surprise."

"Hmm. Sounds like we should go investigate." Miroku suggested, a twinkle of mischief in his own blue eyes. The kitsune grinned up at him, then jumped on his shoulder and made himself comfortable as Miroku walked off in the direction of the forest.

"Hey, Shippo?" Miroku asked his friend as they walked, and the kitsune looked over at him. "Do you still have that invisibility magic that we used that one time to catch that paper-thin thieving demon?"*

"Yeah, I still have it." Shippo answered, taking a leaf out of his vest and showing it to Miroku. "As you saw with Sango that time though, it didn't last very long."

Miroku smirked, remembering the event fondly. He'd been so worried, and Sango had been so flustered when she found out she'd been visible the whole time. And she was so adorable when she was embarrassed. "I think we can make it last longer this time, if we combine it with one of _my_ sutras. Plus your fox magic has become significantly stronger since then. I think that will lengthen our time limit considerably."

"You really think so?" Shippo asked, feeling honored that Miroku was willing to try one of his tricks. "But what if it wears off and they spot us?"

"Then we'll just apologize for sneaking up on them and offer to help out. Either way, we get to find out what they're doing." Miroku answered, an impish smirk on his face. He then traded one of his sutras for one of Shippo's fox magic leaves and combined them, placing the double talisman in the center of his forehead as Shippo did the same. "Now remember: not a sound, and stay on my shoulder so we don't get separated and lose each other. I don't know about you, but I would _not_ want to face the girls' wrath alone." Miroku warned, making a worried face as he imagined the consequences.

"Agreed." Shippo answered, then Miroku recited the proper incantation to activate his sutra, and both boys disappeared completely from view just as they entered the forest.

* * *

><p>"Are you sure you're up to this, Sango? You don't have to help with moving these rocks. Inuyasha and I can manage." Kagome asked, but the taijiya waved it off.<p>

"Don't worry about me, Kagome. I'm fine." she answered, shoving a person-sized boulder into place with Kirara's help.

"This is almost like rock-gardening." Kagome mused to herself and out loud as she and her boyfriend worked on shoving another stone into place.

"What's that?" Inuyasha asked as he gave the stone one last good shove and left to move another. "What's the point of farming _rocks_? They don't grow."

Kagome laughed. "It's like Feng Shui. Rearranging things around you to promote positive vibes. And it's a cool way to change the scenery."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "How many 'positive vibes' d'you think yer gonna get around _here_? With all kinds of demons running around?" he snorted, and Kirara looked at him and growled as if she were offended and saying, "_Hey_!"

"I didn't mean _you_, Kirara." he made a face that was borderline apologetic and Kirara shrugged her shoulders and returned to her work.

…

"I know I've said this before, but I really appreciate you guys helping me with this." Sango commented a while later as she and Kirara shoved the last boulder out of the way, and a spout of water sprayed up out of the ground, splashing her in the face. "Hey!" she complained, but then laughed. "Hey Kagome! We'll have our own personal spring in our house!"

"Sweet!" the miko smiled back. "Is it cold?"

The taijiya tried a sip. "Yep. Cold _and_ sweet, perfect for drinking water." she smiled.

"We should make a little well around that, with one side open so it can run out under the floor of the house." Inuyasha suggested, and the girls thought it was a great idea. The hanyou started punching one of the larger boulders, and it cracked into smaller stones, which he stacked around the waterspout. He demolished a few more boulders and set the girls on that project, while he began cutting down the trees that were growing where the house would be.

"Tetsusaiga!" he cried, drawing his blade and swinging it as close to the ground as he possibly could, felling at least ten trees in this manner that were in the way in the time it took for the girls to finish.

One of the trees fell close to where Miroku and Shippo were hiding, and the monk had to cover the kitsune's mouth to keep him from crying out and giving them away. After Inuyasha had felled all the trees and ripped out the stumps with his prodigious strength, he started stripping the bark and branches off the trees so they could be used to build the walls of the house.

After he'd finished with that and the girls finished with the spring, Kagome suggested, "We should draw up some plans for what the house should look like before we start building. We don't want to waste time and energy building only to find out that either Miroku or Sango don't like it."

"Good idea Kagome." Sango smiled, breathing a little hard from exertion. "But we probably should wait until Miroku wakes up. I think he's still resting."

Suddenly Inuyasha sniffed. "Somethin' smells weird around here. Like–" he grinned evilly. "a little fox!" And with that he plucked an invisible Shippo off Miroku's shoulder and tore the sutra and leaf combo off his forehead.

"Hey!" the kitsune complained, crossing his arms and making a face as Inuyasha held him by his tail. "How'd you find me? No fair!"

The hanyou laughed. "Nice job with yer invisibility trick, but ya gotta mask yer _scent_ if you wanna sneak up on _me_!" he grinned smugly and set the fox-child on the ground next to him. "That goes fer _you_ as well, bouzu!"

Miroku chuckled, removing the ofuda and leaf from his own forehead and appearing before his friends and wife with a sheepish grin on his face. "You caught me." he laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Keep that in mind for next time, Shippo." he grinned, and the kit laughed. "Got it."

"Miroku! You're up!" Kagome laughed, waving her hand in greeting. Miroku nodded and smiled at the young miko, his smile turning sheepish again as he turned to Sango. The taijiya was looking at him reprovingly.

"You _should_ be _resting_, Miroku." she chided, and the monk grinned. "You needn't worry so much about me, Sango. I feel much better today than I have all week."

"We were just wondering what you were doing and if we could help with anything." Shippo added, smiling at his other closest friends.

Inuyasha shrugged. "Sure, I guess. You an' Rin could help level out the ground where the house is gonna be." he suggested, sheathing the Tetsusaiga on his belt.

The kitsune nodded happily, immediately shoveling dirt into the nearest hole with his bare hands, glad that there was something a kid like himself could help with.

"What can _I_ do?" Miroku asked, and Kagome shrugged. Then an idea came to her. "You and Sango can make some plans of what the house should look like. You're really good at drawing, Miroku, and this job is perfect for an artist."

Now it was the monk's turn to blush. "Oh– you flatter me, Kagome-sama. I'm not that good." he mumbled, rubbing his neck again.

"Well all of your sacred sutras are incredibly well-drawn, and you do _those_ by yourself." Sango commented, rolling out a large scroll and flattening it with two bricks. Miroku sighed and produced a brush and ink pot from inside his robes, giving in.

"Then I guess we'd better get started." he commented, and set the brush to the paper.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Kohaku was busy making a wooden frame on which to set the armor that he, Shippo and Kirara had found in Tenshi no Toshi. Kaede entered the hut where he was working, holding a steaming kettle of soup. "Are ye hungry, Kohaku? I made some hot soup for everyone, and I made some fresh bread this morning."<p>

The young boy smiled gratefully at the old woman, taking a bowl of the soup carefully. "Arigato, Kaede-baba!" he breathed before trying a sip. His smile grew wider as the tasty broth touched his tongue. "Mmm! This is good!"

"I am pleased ye like it, my boy." Kaede smiled back. Glancing past him with her good eye, she asked, "Incidentally Kohaku, what be ye working on there?"

Kohaku's grin spread even further across his face. "It's a frame to hold the 'angel armor' we found in Tenshi no Toshi. I want everyone in the village to be able to admire it. It's really something." he told the grandmotherly priestess.

"I'm sure it is, Kohaku, if ye think it so special." she smiled, now very interested. "When ye are finished, mayhap ye should set it up in the center of the village that all may see it." she suggested.

"Great idea. Thanks Lady Kaede!" the boy answered, eagerly turning back to his work. The old miko smiled as she left the boy to his project, going to find the others to tell them that supper was ready.

* * *

><p>"–Let's see, we could put a bedroom here–" Miroku suggested, drawing an example of his thoughts.<p>

"The kitchen could go here," Sango suggested, pointing to another spot.

"Beautiful, Sango! Just what I was considering!" Miroku agreed, giving his wife a swift peck on the cheek before drawing the room, causing her to turn red again. She cleared her throat, turning back to her task. "Which leaves this space for a family area, and this spot for stairs to the second level." she pointed out, and Miroku drew up the plans, beaming at his creative love.

They had just finished the plans for the second level when Kagome walked up. "How's it coming?" she asked cheerfully, but her smile turned to an expression of shock when she saw the plans. _That looks just like _my_ house in the modern era!_ She gasped to herself as Inuyasha, Shippo and Kirara followed Kaede back to the village for supper. _But how could they know what it looks like? The only other person here that has seen my home is Inuyasha!_ She took a deep breath. _Calm down, Kagome. It's just a coincidence. Nothing more._

"Kagome? Is something wrong?" Sango asked in concern as Miroku rolled up the unfinished scroll. They still had to put the measurements in, but that would have to wait for tomorrow, as the sun had set. The miko shook her head. "No," she answered. "nothing's _wrong_. I was just– admiring your brushwork, Miroku."

He laughed, not believing it for a minute, but didn't say anything. It was obvious that Kagome was hiding something, but _what_ he wasn't sure. Ah well, they'd find out in time.

* * *

><p><em>Knock. Knock. Knock.<em> A young man stood at the doorway to the old hut, waiting patiently for it to open. He was greeted by the haggard face of an old woman, who studied him suspiciously. "Who are you, and what do you want?" she asked rather rudely.

"Greetings, Ba-chan. My name is Akitoki Hojo, and I've come in search of a legendary garden that supposedly grows the plants necessary to cure all ailments. My village is overrun with demon spiders. If the legends are true, only Jinenji can help me." he pleaded, his innocent, boyish face assuaging the old woman's fears that he might hurt her son.

"Jinenji is out in the garden, gathering herbs. He'll be able to find what you're looking for." the old woman rasped, then shut the door. Akitoki backed up a step, unsure what to do, but then he spotted a monstrous form several feet away in the large garden, pulling herbs with hands the size of his torso.

The boy gulped audibly. So the legends were true, the garden was indeed tended by a monster! _How am I ever going to fight off _that_ thing? It could snap my quarterstaff in half with just its thumb and forefinger! Oh, I'll _never_ get the cure back to my village _now_!_

Suddenly Jinenji looked up, sensing the presence of a human. He looked around, and there was a light-haired boy, clad in a blue kimono and shaking like a leaf caught in a breeze. Jinenji blinked his large blue eyes, turning to fully face the young man.

"I heard you talking to Mother." the giant said, addressing the lad. "Your village is indeed in great need. I grow many herbs that will cure spider-bites. Wait there. I will prepare some for you to take to your home."

Akitoki couldn't believe it. The monster was actually _talking_ to him? Not only that, it seemed it wanted to help him! "You– you mean you're not a monster like the legends say?" he asked, but then he realized he'd been quite rude and covered his mouth.

Jinenji merely blinked and shook his head. "I may be big, but I'm not a bad person. Just different, and misunderstood because of it." He pulled up a large plant and studied the root. Frowning, he threw it over his shoulder. Akitoki looked confused. "Bad root. It was already half-eaten. Can't be helped. Bugs like some of the herbs and vegetables in my garden."

After a few more minutes, Jinenji had gathered a sufficient amount of herbs and medicinal plants that Akitoki could use and wrapped them up in a large sack. "These should be enough to help your village. Grind the leaves and stalks into a powder and boil the roots. Give it to the people who were bitten to drink. It will ease the pain and flush out the venom." Jinenji instructed, and Akitoki beamed and bowed gratefully, leaving a pouch of gold coins behind as payment for the cure.

Just before he left the hut, Jinenji grabbed his arm, pushing half the money back at him. "The payment was far too much. You keep this for your journey home." he insisted, and Akitoki agreed, amazed at the half-demon's generosity.

"Thank you so much!" he breathed, relief being the most prominent emotion on his face. As he left the hut where Jinenji and his mother lived, Hojo looked to the west, into the setting sun, wondering, _I wonder how Kagome and Inuyasha are doing, as well as the rest of them._

* * *

><p>Kagome stretched and yawned as she woke up, the sun shining through a gap in the reed doorway, right into her face. She squinted and rubbed her eyes, leaning away from the light. <em>Wonder what time it is,<em> she thought to herself as she sat up and rolled back her blanket. She suddenly felt an urge to examine the strange scroll that she'd found in Tenshi no Toshi, and shuffled over to where Inuyasha had dropped her backpack. Opening the top flap, she reached in and carefully drew out the ancient scroll, being exceedingly careful not to rip it.

Setting it on the wood floor of the hut, she unrolled the scroll and gasped. Six drawings had appeared around the scroll where there had only been blank paper before. _What could _this_ mean now?_ Kagome wondered, gently tracing the drawings with her finger.

"What'cha got there, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked, looking over her shoulder and sniffing. The girl jumped in surprise, having not expected Inuyasha to wake up for a while. He'd really tired himself out yesterday with all of the landscaping work.

"Sorry. Didn't mean ta startle ya." he apologized, looking slightly sheepish. Kagome smiled. "That's okay, don't worry about it. I found this in Tenshi no Toshi, and the mystery just keeps getting bigger and more complicated."

Inuyasha studied the scroll for a moment. "What's that supposed to mean, _'In the darkest __hou__r, the light of hope shines brightest'_? Sounds like a riddle to me. An' I never was very good with riddles. Too much thinking involved."

"Well that makes sense." Shippo giggled, bouncing over and sitting in Kagome's lap. "Your brain's the only thing you hardly ever use."

A vein popped on Inuyasha's temple and he bonked the impertinent kitsune on the head with his fist. "Shut up, runt. I wasn't asking you." Kagome giggled too. "Oh, lighten up Inuyasha. You know he was only teasing." she turned back to the scroll as Shippo traced the lines of the drawings with his finger just as she had. "This one looks kinda like my 'Smashing Top'." Shippo observed, interested in the strange riddle. "And this one looks like the Hiraikotsu." he pointed to two items, and Kagome nodded.

"That one in the corner looks like Tetsusaiga." Inuyasha added, pointing to the sword. "And that one looks like Kirara." he pointed to a drawing under the mysterious riddle. As soon as he'd said the name of the neko-youkai, the third space on the scroll began to shimmer with a soft white light, and the letter 'R' drew itself over the line as the space itself disappeared. "Hey, one of the letters filled itself in!" Kagome observed excitedly. "I wonder how that happened?"

"Maybe it's got something to do with these pictures." Shippo guessed, mystified by the strange scroll. "If we say the names of the people that own these objects, maybe the rest of the letters will fill themselves in." Inuyasha leaned forward and studied another drawing. "This one looks like that sickle-thing that Kohaku uses." he observed, pointing at another sketch. At his words, the fifth space shimmered with the same light, and a 'K' drew itself in place of the blank space.

The trio was really excited now as they listed off three more names, and three more letters drew themselves on the scroll. The last blank space was the first in the sequence, and the last picture that they hadn't already identified was of a longbow and a single arrow. "Well, that bow and arrow could belong to anyone." Kagome sighed. "But judging from the relationships of the other names on here, I'd say it's within our group of friends. Maybe it's supposed to stand for Kikyo." She watched the scroll attentively to see if the last letter would fill itself in, but the space remained blank.

"Huh. I thought for sure that would work." Inuyasha huffed, slightly disappointed.

"Well it's not necessarily referring to Kikyo," Shippo put in. "I mean, _you're_ really good with a bow too, Kagome." At his words the final letter space shimmered with light, and an 'M' drew itself in place of the blank. Kagome gasped, then started chuckling.

"What's so funny? It just says 'Miroku'." Inuyasha asked, once again confused. Kagome smiled at him and pointed to the riddle. "There was another hint hidden in the message. _'In the darkest __hou__r, the light of hope __shi__nes brightest.'_ Now take out the underlined portions and squish them together in your mind. What does it spell?"

Inuyasha concentrated for a long moment, then shook his head, scowled, and snatched a piece of paper, brush and ink from next to where Miroku was still sleeping. He stuck his tongue out as he wrote the characters, and Kagome thought he looked really silly like that.

"'_h_ o _u_ s _h_ i'..." he sounded out as he wrote. "Oh!" he laughed. "_Duh_!"

Kagome and Shippo giggled at their friend, then Kagome turned pensive. "But what does that _mean_? Is it a prophecy? A warning? Or is it meant to comfort?" she asked, both to herself and aloud to her friends.

"I'd say it's a mix of all three." came a second male voice from behind her. Kagome squeaked and jumped in surprise, then looked backwards to find Miroku standing over her. "But that's just me." He smiled down at the young miko, who was looking at him upside-down. "Sorry for startling you."

Kagome waved it off. "It's okay." Then she grinned. "You gonna get in some early-morning yoga stretches before everyone else gets up?" she teased playfully.

"Yeah, it helps me relax–" Miroku began, but then broke off. "You know about that?"

Kagome's grin widened. "I'm more observant than people think." she winked. "In fact, maybe I'll join you as soon as I change." She'd slept in her school uniform, which she couldn't wear for yoga poses for obvious reasons. "I'll meet you out there." she suggested, and Miroku nodded, leaning his shakujou against the door-frame.

Barely a minute later, Kagome emerged from the hut wearing her pajamas, the shirt tucked into the waistband of the pants, but loosely to allow for movement.

As the two close friends shifted their bodies through the stances, Miroku was increasingly impressed with the young woman's flexibility and stamina. _No wonder she could hold her own in battle from practically the beginning. Kagome-sama, you will never cease to amaze me._

Beside him, Kagome was also impressed with the young monk. He was moving so effortlessly and fluidly it was as if he were made of water. And his expression was so peaceful and serene he looked like he'd reached enlightenment, not a care in the world.

"Not only is this good exercise, but I find it sharpens my _mental_ focus as well." Miroku sighed, enjoying the crisp morning breeze as it danced by, playing with their hair. Kagome nodded. "I know. These poses can work wonders if performed in extreme heat, like a hot-spring."

"Is that so?" Miroku asked, intrigued. "I'll have to try that sometime."

As they shifted simultaneously into the final stance, Sango and Kirara decided it was time to get up. Kirara stretched, arched her back and yawned cutely, causing her human companion to smile and scratch her behind the ears, her favorite spot. Kirara purred and licked Sango's hand before padding outside to say good morning to her other two human friends.

* * *

><p>"There. Done!" Kohaku sighed in satisfaction as he surveyed his handiwork. He rolled up the polishing cloth he'd been using and tossed it casually into a bucket of water, already dirtied by the cleaning he'd been doing all morning. The armor gleamed almost happily in the mid-morning sun, shining as brightly as the day it was made.<p>

"Hey, nice job kid!" a familiar voice sounded from the doorway. "Looks brand-new!"

Kohaku smiled brightly at his visitor. "Thanks Inuyasha." He turned back to the armor, put his hands on his hips and nodded. "It _does_ look good, doesn't it?"

"All right, don't get a swelled head." the hanyou teased. He pushed the boy in the direction of the door, forcefully, but not unkindly. "Get some fresh air fer a while. Go see if your sister an' Miroku need any help with the house plans." he suggested, and the boy nodded happily, running out the door and toward the Forest of Inuyasha. Meanwhile the half-demon lifted the stand–armor and all–and carefully carried it to the center of the village square where everyone could admire it. After all, "What's the point of making something beautiful if no one's gonna see it?" he muttered to himself.

* * *

><p><span>End of chapter (Episode) 8<span>

Next chapter teaser: Family Bonds

Looks like Kohaku, Shippo and Kirara have a guardian angel as well. Who could have created that barrier? _I_ know, but it's a secret for another chapter!

What I said about the echinacea root is actually true. It really _does_ help with a sore throat. I drink it all the time when I get the flu (Which is usually at least once every year. I get sick a lot).

I made that up with Kagome's dad, and once again I hint that there could be a connection between Miroku and Sango and Kagome's family. _Real_ subtle, mou hitori no boku.

*Reference to episode 136, 'A Strange, Invisible Demon Appears!'

And even _more_ hinting to a possible connection between MirSan and Kagome. Subtlety? What's that?

I finally remembered to put in Akitoki's side-story! Hooray! And I remembered to continue the plot-point with the mysterious scroll that Kagome found. But what could it mean?

Oh Shippo, you make me laugh. XD Stop teasing Inuyasha so much! I _know_ it's fun, but you keep getting yourself in trouble.

Kirara, you are TOO CUTE! *dies from cuteness again, then is revived by Tenseiga* Why, Sesshomaru-sama, I didn't know you cared!

Sesshomaru: *huffs and looks away* _Someone_ has to do these 'Author Comments', and _you're_ the author. There's no story without you.

Me: True. XD See you all next chapter!


	9. Family Bonds

Reborn, an Inuyasha fanfic by Tsunami Storm

Chapter 9: Family Bonds

* * *

><p>About two weeks later–<p>

"Kagome?" Miroku called, walking through the woods to a nearby hot-spring, where he knew Kagome had gone to take a bath. He didn't want to get something thrown at him for trying to peep, so he made sure to announce himself loudly. "Kagome-sama? Are you all right?" As far as he was concerned, he had every right to worry about her. She'd been in the hot-spring for far too long.

Kagome and Miroku had been specifically requested by the headman of a nearby village to exorcise demons and demon-spirits from the area, because he'd heard of their incredible spiritual powers from their journeys. Unfortunately Sango was too weak to accompany them because of her pregnancy, and the village was extremely hostile toward and prejudiced against demons. Inuyasha had been forbidden to come as well as Shippo and Kirara, so Kagome suggested they just remain in Kaede's village until their return. "I'll be fine." she'd insisted. "I've got Miroku with me. He'll keep me safe."

Inuyasha had scoffed at that. "Keh! _Sure_. And cop a feel every chance he gets."

Kagome had glared at him. "He's not like that anymore, Inuyasha. You told me that on your 'journey' together, not _once_ did he make a move toward _anyone_, right? He wouldn't– _couldn't_ do that to Sango."

"Hmph." the hanyou had responded eloquently, then muttered something about hunting a few demons in the area and jumped off.

Miroku shook his head to return his thoughts to the present, and smiled fondly as he recalled the ease at which he and Kagome were able to work together to rid the town of apparitions. Like a well-oiled machine, he had exorcised the demons and spirits from the houses, and Kagome had purified them with her Sacred Arrows.

_She really _has_ been in there for a long time–_ Miroku thought as he neared the spring. He could see the steam rising from the water just beyond the trees and thought absently, _Perhaps when Kagome is finished, I'll take a quick bath. It's been a while since I've come across a spring._ He was a bit concerned that he couldn't even see Kagome's outline or hear any sounds that would indicate she was washing. _Maybe she's finished already. __But__ if that's true, why hasn't she come back to the headman's house yet?_

"Kagome?" Miroku called once more as he stepped out of the tree-line, scanning the spring for any sign of his friend. Suddenly a sight that would haunt his nightmares for _years_ to come met his eyes.

"_Kagome_!" he gasped, dropping his staff and running into the spring, soaking his robes and sandals, but he couldn't care less about that right now. Kagome was face-down in the water, and didn't appear to be moving. "Kagome! No!" he cried, grabbing her shoulders and lifting her head out of the water. "Speak to me! Kagome please!" He shook her shoulders, but her head merely lolled and flopped uselessly back and forth.

Miroku's usual thoughts were the _last_ thing on his mind as he carried the unconscious miko out of the spring, setting her gently on the ground. Terrified that he would lose one of his closest friends–indeed the girl he saw as his younger sister–Miroku bent to her face and tried a technique he'd seen a physician use once, a very long time ago when he was just a boy. He carefully plugged her nose, then started to breathe air into her lungs. Two breaths, then he folded his hands and placed them over her heart, pushing down in compressions and counting to himself. When he reached fifteen, he tried the breaths again.

He repeated this process five more times, and was starting to think he'd been too late–that all hope was lost–when Kagome coughed and spat out a mouthful of water. She coughed until her lungs were clear, then looked at her savior with boundless thanks and quite a bit of surprise. Miroku smiled at her in immeasurable relief, then abruptly averted his eyes and untied the purple portion of his robes, handing them to Kagome with a slight blush in his cheeks. The miko looked at the cloth in confusion for a moment, then squeaked loudly and snatched the robe, covering herself in record time. She gaped wide-eyed at the monk, who was watching her carefully and in concern. He didn't want her to pass out from standing up too fast. He'd had that happen to _him_ once. It scared the seven Hells out of master Mushin, and Miroku vowed he'd never do it again. At least not around his mentor.

Kagome continued to glare at him suspiciously and in confusion, and when he saw that fainting was not likely, he relaxed and smiled at her disarmingly. She raised a questioning eyebrow. "I'd call you a pervert again and smack you, but I think that pervert just _saved_ my _life_. Since when do you know CPR?"

Miroku cocked his head at the unfamiliar term, and Kagome explained. "It's also known as 'mouth-to-mouth'. It's what you do when someone's not breathing. How'd you know?" she asked him again, still surprised and more than a little impressed.

The monk smiled. "When I was very young, I saw a physician use the technique in a similar situation. Though in that case, he'd rescued a child from a fire. She wasn't breathing either. It was far to the northeast of this area." He gasped, then started chuckling. Within minutes he was full-out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Kagome asked, smiling in spite of herself.

"I'm not usually one to believe in coincidences, but I'm pretty certain the physician was none other than Doctor Suikotsu, when he was alive." he answered, still chuckling.

Kagome's jaw dropped. "Are you _serious_?! _Suikotsu_ of the Band of Seven?"

"I cannot believe it either, but I'm _positive_ it was the very same man." the monk chuckled. "Lady Fate sure has _some_ sense of humor."

"Yeah, _I'll_ say." Kagome breathed, shaking her head in disbelief. She started toward the tree-line, then stopped, sitting down again. Miroku followed her in concern. "Kagome? What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

The miko shook her head. "No, I'm just a little dizzy still. I had to move away from the steam. It was making me sick." she looked down in embarrassment, falling silent for a while.

Miroku nodded understandingly. Her eyes looked a bit glassy and her face was still flushed, though that could be from embarrassment too. He looked down at his feet and sighed. "If it makes you feel any better Kagome, I didn't really see anything. I was too focused on getting you breathing again."

She looked up with a start. "Oh! Um– I-I wasn't thinking about that. Didn't you know that saving someone's life _totally_ lets you off the hook?" she laughed nervously. Then she looked down at her bare feet again. "I was just thinking about what happened earlier with those demons we exorcised. I guess I missed one." she sighed, abashed.

"What do you mean, Kagome? Did a demon do this to you?" Miroku asked, suddenly frowning. If a demon had done this to Kagome, he'd hunt that monster down and send it straight to Hell. _No one_ messed with his imouto(1).

Kagome nodded. "Some small ferret or weasel-demons stole my clothes, and suddenly I found myself face-down in the water, and I could feel its– paws on the back of my head, holding me underwater. I fought and struggled, but it was too strong. I don't think I've ever been so scared in my life!" she suddenly cried, launching herself into Miroku's arms and sobbing. "Thank you for saving my life, Onii-sama(2)!" she wailed, burying her face in his shoulder.

Miroku hugged her as if he were afraid she'd break if he held her too tight, Kagome hugged him as if she were afraid she'd break if she let go.

"You are most welcome, imouto-sama."

* * *

><p>"All right you two taijiya siblings, attack us as if we were a pair of youkai someone asked ya to exterminate!" Inuyasha taunted as Kirara tensed into battle position beside him. "It's probably been a while since you two had a chance to fight side-by-side. Yer outta practice."<p>

"Oh yeah Inuyasha? We'll just see about that!" Sango challenged. The hanyou's words had struck a deep nerve–even though that wasn't his intention–but she just let that pain transfer into her attack. "Hiraikotsu!" she cried, flinging her giant boomerang at her friend. Kohaku came at him from the side, wielding his chain-sickle like a master. He cast the 'safe' end of the chain at Inuyasha, hoping to snare his leg and pull him back to the ground, as he'd jumped to avoid the Hiraikotsu.

Kirara wasn't about to be left out, though. She caught the chain in her jaws and yanked it away from her friend's leg, then released it with a feline smirk in her young playmate's direction. Kohaku laughed. "Oh, so you wanna take me on alone, Kirara? Fine by me! But I promise it won't be like when I was a kid!"

"Keh, you still _are_ a kid, Kohaku." Inuyasha commented quickly as he continued to dodge Sango's attacks. "Don't try to grow up too fast." _Kami knows _I_ had to._ he thought silently to himself.

"Well okay. _Younger _then." Kohaku amended, shrugging. He faced his opponent again, this time drawing his sword. Suddenly a whirlwind blew into town, kicking up all kinds of straw and dirt from the dusty road. The warriors looked away from their battle long enough to notice a small pack of wolves trailing behind the tornado, and Inuyasha rolled his eyes. _Oh lovely. My favorite mangy wolf._

The whirlwind stopped just short of blowing the three friends over, and Kirara managed to hold her ground. The wind dispersed and a good bit of it buffeted Inuyasha in the face. The wolf pack caught up to their leader just as he was brushing himself off; huffing, puffing and panting with their tongues hanging out.

"Hey, mutt." Koga growled by way of greeting, barely sparing a glance for his rival while looking for his favorite miko. "Where's Kagome?"

The hanyou glared back. "Not here. She an' Miroku are in another village exorcising demons and demon-spirits. They were specially requested by the headman himself." the half-demon bragged, proud of the young woman he deeply cared for. "She's getting to be as renowned as Kikyo was."

"So why didn't you go with her?" Koga asked, for once not able to come up with a nasty comment.

"Eh, she's strong enough to take care of herself. Plus Miroku's with her. They're fine. I wasn't allowed to come 'cause the villagers are super prejudiced against demons. Sango would've gone, but she's not been feeling the greatest lately, so we stayed here until they get back." Inuyasha explained, shrugging and subtly implying that he was protecting the taijiya who would be a mother in 4 months.

Koga nodded in greeting to the two demonslayers, and Kohaku waved back in a friendly way. "You wanna join our 'sparring' group? Just a little practice battle between friends?" the boy offered.

Koga smirked. "That sounds like fun, but maybe some other time. We're actually on a hunting trip, and I thought I'd drop in since we were in the area." He glanced awkwardly at Sango. "Uh– Con-congratulations. Kinda figured you and the monk would end up together." he commented, rubbing the back of his neck.

Sango smiled, knowing that this was about as close to a compliment as she would get from the proud wolf demon. "Thank you, Koga."

"Yeah, congrats!" Hakkakku and Ginta added in unison, and the taijiya smiled wider and blushed.

"You're not hunting humans, are you?" Inuyasha asked suddenly. "Because you _know_ how Kagome would feel about that."

"Nope. Wild boar." Koga corrected. "We stopped hunting humans a while ago. Mostly 'cause of Kagome, but we were considering it before we even met. About half the pack was against it, and I didn't want the clan to split over the matter."

Sango nodded in approval. Koga may be young, but he was already a wise leader.

"That and boar tastes better. Humans are too stringy. And there's too many bones to deal with." the wolf demon teased with a grin.

No one quite knew what to say to that, so the wolf-demon changed the subject. "By the way. You guys better be careful. There's this real nasty spider-demon and her hordes wreaking havoc all over the place. Her venom's particularly bad against humans. Calls herself Ukaran–"

"–Yeah, we know. We've come across her handiwork before." Inuyasha interrupted. "Well, Miroku and I have. It eats away at human females from the inside out and turns human males into random demons. But it's nothin' I can't handle. Doesn't do squat to full demons, and the worst it does ta half-demons is knock 'em out."

"How'd you know all that?" Koga asked, flummoxed and impressed despite himself.

Inuyasha grinned. "Kagome took a sample of the venom back to her own time. One of her friend's fathers is good with that kind of thing. She took blood samples from all of us and sent those along too. My point is if that freaky menace shows her ugly face around here, I'll make a hundred percent sure she doesn't get anywhere _near_ Kagome."

"Good. You'd better not." Koga growled, frowning protectively. He still cared about the young woman from the future, though now it was closer to friendship than love. He knew that Inuyasha and Kagome were meant for each other and that he could never hope to win her heart from someone like him. Besides, he had Ayame now.

"Well we'd better get back to the hunt. Not worth stopping if Kagome's not even here." he teased Inuyasha as he prepared to take off. "You take care of yourselves, demonslayers!" he waved, running off into the west, his pack right on his heels.

"Why that little–" Inuyasha growled, clenching his fists. "I oughta–"

Kohaku chuckled. "He's only teasing, Inuyasha. You're so easy to rile up!"

Suddenly the hanyou turned to his youngest human friend. "Oh yeah? We'll just see about that!" he challenged, grinning. Then the four friends resumed their battle, fully rested and eager to show off their various skills.

* * *

><p>"So this plant is good for treating poisons?" Rin asked, pointing to a small tuft and looking at Kaede. Shippo was next to her, also learning about various herbs that were good for medicine.<p>

"Indeed, child. And this plant is one that demons sometimes use when they are injured. Though it works fairly well on humans too." Kaede answered, pointing to another plant in her herb garden.

"Stings really bad though." the kitsune commented. "I remember my father using this when I scraped my knee once. Hurt like nothing else, but it healed completely in only a day. Normally it probably would've taken a few days at least."

Rin smiled, studying the plant more closely and trying to memorize its appearance. _Maybe I can use my knowledge to help Lord Sesshomaru someday__**–**__ if he ever comes back for me._ she thought fondly of her god-like idol and father-figure.

…

_I wonder where Lord Sesshomaru and master Jaken are now?_ she mused to herself a while later as she and Shippo worked to make the ground level where Miroku and Sango's future house would be. _I hope they're doing all right._

* * *

><p>Said youkai were traveling west, the proud leader in his true form, running atop the clouds, and his vassal trailing behind him on A-Un. The dog-demon growled, annoyed. He could smell a storm approaching, and he <em>hated<em> getting wet. He glanced back at his companions and noticed Jaken watching him attentively, as if about to ask a question of him. Sure enough not five seconds passed before the small demon opened his mouth.

"Forgive my interruption my lord, but may I ask where we are bound?" Jaken asked, and Sesshomaru used a giant paw to point to a small, nearly hidden cave, then gestured up to the tallest peak of the mountains in the distance.

"Oh, I see!" squeaked the imp. "The cave will provide our shelter from the coming storm, and then we will journey to the mountain when it has passed?" The giant dog nodded. "But why the mountain, my lord? Have you some business there?" Another nod. "Very well, my liege. As always, I shall follow wherever you lead, to the bitter end. Come rain or sunshine, drought and high winds–"

Sesshomaru tuned out his attendant's rambling, his thoughts on another small creature that had shown him unfailing loyalty and had taught him compassion. The girl he'd taken _twice_ from the cold hands of Death, and had become to him something akin to a daughter. Or at the very least his ward. He almost smiled when he recalled how she would follow him without a trace of fear, though he was a powerful demon lord. A demon who despised humans, considering them lesser creatures, not worthy to stand in his presence.

But Rin was different. Somehow she had done what no other being–demon or human–had ever been able to do before. With her child-like innocence and unconscious kindness to every living thing, she had actually broken through his emotional armor–armor he'd thought impenetrable–and touched his heart. A heart he'd though had turned to cold stone long ago.

He very nearly smiled again as he fondly recalled the evening they'd first met. _Fondly?_ the demon asked himself, then shrugged mentally. _Sure. Fondly. I can admit _that_ at least. To myself._ Kami forbid he ever admit it aloud.

–Flashback–

Sesshomaru rested against the trunk of an ancient tree, waiting for his strength to return after barely surviving a direct attack from Inuyasha's 'Wind Scar'. Though he hated to admit it, his own 'useless' blade–the Tenseiga–had saved his life. He sighed heavily as he glanced at the sword on his left hip, and then up to his empty left sleeve. He growled as the painful memory resurfaced; how he'd lost his arm in the fight within the tomb of his father. _You will pay for this, Inuyasha. I swear it. This Sesshomaru will make you pay for disarming me!_ [Literally!]

A rustle of some nearby bushes and he snarled in that direction, his eyes blood-red. A soft gasp reached his ears and he spotted a small human girl, carrying a small water jug and frozen in fear. His eyes softened a bit when he saw she wasn't a threat, though he was both surprised and confused at her actions. A _normal_ human girl would have run away by now–probably screaming and crying in fear–but this child actually started to _approach_ him, setting down her water container and leaving it for him as if he needed it. Then she left without so much as a word. Sesshomaru glanced at the bottle. He _was_ a bit thirsty, but he would never accept aid from a human, and especially not a _child._ His pride would never allow it.

Surprisingly the child returned the next day, bringing a large leaf with grilled fish and mushrooms on it. He was impressed by the child's bravery and grudgingly appreciated the kind gesture, but he was a _demon_, and a dog-demon at that. Demons like him ate _meat_, not vegetables or fungi.

"Mind your own business, girl." he sighed, trying to give the kid the hint to leave him be. When he noticed the child still standing there, he growled, "Your generosity is wasted. I don't eat human food."

That seemed to work, because the girl turned and left. However the next evening, Sesshomaru saw the same girl bringing another leaf with wheat [?] stalks on it. "No thanks." he sighed, but the girl still offered the food. "I told you I don't need anything from you." As she turned, the demon lord spotted new wounds on her face that weren't there yesterday. "Where did you get those bruises?" he asked, surprising himself with his curiosity. Then he added with a gentleness he didn't know he was capable of, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." he said with a tilt of his head.

The girl surprised him again. Instead of answering, she gave him the brightest smile he'd ever seen from a human and giggled, and Sesshomaru noted that one of her teeth was either chipped or missing.

"What are you smiling about? I simply asked a question. I don't _care_, I'm just curious." he growled, wondering why he felt the need to explain himself to this enigmatic child. He was just vulnerable now, that was it. He was wounded, and he was making up things to protect himself from danger and further harm. But how dangerous could one human _child_ be?

–End Flashback–

_After that I found Rin collapsed in the forest road, killed by wolves. That day changed my life forever. _Sesshomaru thought as he finally landed, transformed and walked into the cave just as the first droplets of rain started falling to the ground. He glanced back as A-Un and Jaken landed, and smirked slightly when he saw that the imp was _still_ jabbering.

"–Hell or high water, _nothing_ will sway me from following in your service, my lord." Jaken huffed, out of breath after his interminably long-winded speech.

"Thanks." he muttered, then chuckled silently once when his vassal nearly fainted with surprise.

_Rin–_ he thought, _Be safe._

* * *

><p>Miroku smiled as he watched the headman's beautiful daughters dance in perfect synchronization. They had clearly been practicing for this, celebrating the eradication of every demon from their small village. The food was excellent too, and he kept glancing at Kagome to see if she was enjoying herself as much as he was. Turns out he was right, because she grinned right back at him.<p>

After the latest glance, the headman noticed the bond between the two and asked, "So are you married, master monk? I must say, the two of you fit very well together."

Miroku was taken aback at the headman's assumption, and Kagome turned beet-red. Then he laughed. "I am afraid you are a bit mistaken, my good man. I _am_ a married man, but not to Kagome. She's my little sister."

"Oh!" the headman gasped. "My apologies." Then he looked around for another young woman who was with the monk, but found no one.

Miroku laughed again. "My wife Sango stayed in our home village. Her first pregnancy is proving to be a bit difficult for her, it seems." he grinned at his 'little sister', who looked back, still quite red, but smiling too.

"Well, may I offer my congratulations then, master monk, and to your wife as well. I wish you both happiness and the best of fortune in the coming years as a family." the headman answered, a bit embarrassed about his earlier erroneous assumption.

"I guess I cannot fault you for assuming that we were married, though." Miroku commented after a minute. "We work so well together, and our bond is strong, nigh unbreakable." _That and she's wearing only the purple outer portion of _my_ robes._ Miroku added mentally. _No wonder the headman assumed we were a couple._

…

After the delicious feast, Miroku announced that he had one more errand to run before turning in for the night. Kagome offered to come with him, but he insisted that it was a solo mission and would not take long. He excused himself from the mansion and the gate, nodding in greeting to the guards on the night watch.

Miroku walked into the forest, shivering slightly as a cold wind blew past him. _That doesn't make much sense. It's only August. It shouldn't be getting too cold so soon._ Then he glanced around. _Perhaps there is a demon spirit nearby._ he reasoned. _That could explain the chill–_

Continuing on, he discovered a perfectly round clearing that was blanketed in ice and snow and a young girl in a sky-blue kimono kneeling in the center. Her back was to him, and it appeared that she was surrounded by more than a few small forest-dwelling creatures. And she looked like she was holding something. [Strongly based on Yukina of Yu Yu Hakusho, but it's not actually her.]

The monk approached her cautiously, not wanting to startle her. However it seemed she was exceptionally keen of hearing, as she whipped around in fright when his sandaled foot crunched into the snow. Miroku stood perfectly still as she studied him, and he watched her warily. _An ice maiden?_ he thought to himself. _They live in the mountains far to the north. This girl's a long way from home._ The monk noticed that she held a very familiar set of clothing in her hands, all folded neatly and looking brand-new.

"Do these belong to your friend?" the ice maiden asked quietly, suddenly shy. "The one you saved from drowning?"

Miroku nodded mutely, too awestruck to speak. The girl appeared to be around Kagome's age, but her voice was like a chorus of angels. After a moment he remembered his manners and bowed respectfully. "Yes, they do. I thank you for your help in retrieving them."

The ice maiden smiled softly and set the clothes on the ground at her feet, then retreated a few steps. "You are welcome, human monk. I admit that I admire the devotion and care toward your friend that you displayed earlier. I wish that all humans possessed as kind a heart as you do."

Miroku turned pink and looked down. "Your words flatter me young maiden, but I'm afraid I am far from perfect. There are for certain many people in this world better than me." he admitted.

The ice maiden smiled at him warmly. "I shall keep that in mind. Fare thee well noble monk, and may your journey home be safe." she wished, turning and disappearing into the woods, taking her wintery surroundings with her.

"Likewise, kori-onnanoko(3,4)." Miroku answered softly, somehow knowing the mysterious young girl would hear it. He returned to the headman's house and returned the clothes to their rightful owner, who was quite surprised to see them. She beamed at her 'big brother' in thanks, then excused herself to go change and give Miroku his outer robes back. When she returned, she leaned over and whispered to him, "Can we keep this just between us? If Inuyasha found out, you _know_ how he'd react." she pleaded, making a face as she thought of her overprotective boyfriend.

Miroku grinned conspiratorially. "Your secret is safe with me, imouto-sama."

* * *

><p><span>End of chapter (Episode) 9<span>

Next chapter teaser: Close Encounters of the Demon Kind

I've wanted to do a MirKag bonding scene for a while now, and a few days ago this wonderful hot-spring idea popped into my head out of nowhere. The human mind comes up with the _strangest_ things sometimes, doesn't it? (Or at least _mine_ does. LOL)

I've been missing Koga, so he returns for this chapter with his two right-hand men, Hakkakku and Ginta. He's always messing with my favorite hanyou, and I think it's hilarious. Looks like he hasn't changed much.

Wow. Sesshomaru's actually capable of being _gentle_? Where did _that_ come from? *snrk* Apparently he doesn't like the rain. *gets a mental image of a sopping-wet dog-form Sesshomaru* Bahahahahahaaaa!

*gets a rock thrown at my head* Sesshomaru (growls): Shut up. *is blushing very slightly*

Originally that ice-maiden was going to be Yukina from Yu Yu Hakusho, but I realized that Yukina's too young. She's somewhere between 16 and 99 years old in the show–as ice apparitions reach maturity at 100 years–and that show takes place in the modern era, not the Sengoku Jidai. (Feudal Era). Hey, it could be a distant ancestor of Yukina and Hiei's, you never know. *shrugs*

Translations:

**Imouto** – Little sister

**Onii-sama** – Honorable big brother

**Kori** – Ice

**Onnanoko** – Young girl

See you next chapter!

Tsunami Storm


	10. Close Encounters of the Demon Kind

Reborn, an Inuyasha fanfic by Tsunami Storm

Chapter 10: Close Encounters of the Demon Kind

* * *

><p>Sota Higurashi peered longingly into the Bone-Eater's Well, wishing that he too could travel between the ages like his big sister did. He was no longer scared of the old well on their family shrine, probably because he knew Kagome and Inuyasha were on the other side exterminating any demons that even came <em>close<em> to the Well.

"Mrrow!" Buyo growled as he rubbed up against his young master's legs, wanting his midday meal. Sota jumped when the fat cat startled him, but then relaxed, knelt down and scratched the pet behind his ears.

"Hey Buyo." Sota sighed, peering into the well again. "How do you think Kagome's doing over there on the other side? I hope she's all right."

"Mrow." the family cat meowed again, scratching his ear with a hind leg as if to say, _'I'm sure she's fine, now where's my lunch?'_

Sota chuckled and ruffled the cat's fur again. "All right, Buyo. I can take a hint. You want food, right?" he guessed as he and the cat turned to the stairs leading out of the shrine.

* * *

><p>"Ugh, where are all these spiders coming from?" Sango groaned as she hurled her Hiraikotsu at the hordes for the hundredth time. Beside her, Inuyasha was firing off 'Wind Scar' after 'Wind Scar', but the enemy's numbers didn't appear to be decreasing at all. In fact they seemed to be multiplying. The demons were trying to stay away from Kirara, and Kohaku was doing his best to reduce the swarm with his chain-sickle. The spiders hissed in triumph whenever they would come back from the attacks, in greater numbers than before.<p>

"Sssss!" the arachnids taunted, leering at the group of friends. "You ssssshall not essssscape usssss! We ssssshall avenge our brethren you ssssslaughtered in the mountainsssss!"

"What're you hissing about?" Inuyasha growled. "I did no such thing! Though I'm sorely tempted right now!" he threatened as he raised his weapon again.

"The demonssssslayer boy!" they answered angrily. "He and hisssss fire-cat and fire-fox decccccimated our hordesssss. We lossssst half our numbersssss that day in the ruinsssss!"

Sango looked at her brother in surprise. He hadn't said anything about getting _attacked_ in Tenshi no Toshi. In fact he hadn't said anything about their trip period, aside from the set of angel-armor he and Shippo had found. Her thoughts returned to the battle when the spiders hissed again.

"We ssssshall dessssstroy you, humansssss!"

"Not if I can help it!" Sango shot back, readying her weapon again.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile the leader of the spider hordes–Ukaran–studied the Bone-Eater's Well, contemplating her most recent strategy. <em>How did Mistress Centipede take that priestess from her world into ours? If <em>she_ can do it–as weak as she was–then I _certainly_ can!_ she thought haughtily, scuttling down into the Well and driving her legs deep into the soil at the bottom of the structure, grinning evilly as she felt the magic of the well reacting with her own demonic aura.

"There isssss a whole new world on the other ssssside of thisssss Well, and it'sssss ripe for the conquering!"

* * *

><p>Sota was just turning to leave the shrine when he noticed shafts of light coming from the Well. <em>Maybe Sis is coming back, or Inuyasha.<em> he thought, peering back into the structure. Suddenly a giant spider leaped out and grabbed him, causing him to lose his balance and fall head-first into the Well. To his great surprise, a portal opened up as he fell through the ages, up the time-stream. He fell to the bottom of the well and landed roughly on his hands and knees, gasping to regain his breath. The demon-spider was standing right over him, leering at him with blood-red eyes.

"Curse you, child! Now the Well is sealed against me! I can no longer conquer your pitiful race!" she snarled, and Sota cringed away from her in fear. "Ah well," she sighed, suddenly calm and collected. "My consolation prize will be enough to lure the priestess and her companions to their doom!" Then she wrapped some of her silk around his torso, binding his arms to his sides and his legs together and scuttled out of the Well, dragging him to her lair to prepare for the ultimate confrontation of good versus evil.

* * *

><p>"Something's wrong." Kagome muttered, stopping in her tracks as she and Miroku made their way back to Kaede's village.<p>

"What makes you say that, Kagome?" the monk asked, stopping beside her. "I don't sense any ominous aura or dark clouds around here."

"I've just got this really bad feeling, in my heart area." Kagome answered. "Something really bad has happened to someone I love. I– I can't really explain it." she wrapped her arms around herself, as if holding herself together. Like she was going to fall apart.

Miroku was a tad worried now. "Is it Sango? Or Inuyasha? Shippo? Kohaku?"

Kagome frowned and shook her head slowly in uncertainty. "No, it doesn't feel like any of them. It almost feels like–" she shook her head again, but more vigorously this time. "No, that's impossible. _Sota_ can't travel between the ages like I can–" she frowned, concentrating very hard on something only she could feel.

"Sota?" Miroku asked, not recognizing the name. Though somehow he knew he should.

"My kid brother." Kagome clarified distractedly. "But he's _terrified_ of the Well on my family's shrine. And that only intensified after I got pulled through by Mistress Centipede." she began pacing worriedly, wringing her hands behind her back.

Miroku cupped his chin with one hand, assuming a thoughtful pose. "Hm. Kagome?" he asked, suddenly thinking of something.

"What is it, Miroku?" Kagome queried, halting her pacing for a moment to look at the monk.

"Is it possible that your younger brother has abilities similar to yours? You possess the abilities of a priestess, is it likely that the boy could have a similar power?" Miroku asked, considering all the options.

"_Sota_? Nah." Kagome mused thoughtfully. "It _is_ true that we come from a long line of shrine-keepers and priests, but he's never shown any sign of spiritual powers." she cupped her chin, unconsciously mirroring Miroku. "Of course neither did _I_ at his age. Sota's still a kid." she muttered to herself. She suddenly turned to Miroku, a thought striking her. "When did _your_ abilities start to really manifest? Did you have them from the time you were born?"

Miroku looked down, concentrating to find a specific memory. "It is true that I was born with a substantial amount of spiritual power–as my grandfather was the renowned Miyatsu–but I didn't really learn to control it until I was about ten years of age." He glanced up at Kagome. "Why do you ask?" he inquired of the miko, who had turned pensive again at his words.

_That's about how old Sota is!_ Kagome gasped mentally. _Could he really become as strong as me one day?_ She didn't think it was bragging to acknowledge her strength. She _was_ powerful. Even Inuyasha–who didn't give compliments easily–admitted it. _It'll be kinda nice to have somebody around home that can actually _use_ those useless sutras that Gramps is always waving at Inuyasha and everything else–_

"Well there you have it." Miroku chuckled, suddenly in a merry mood. "Substantial proof that girls _do_ mature faster than boys." he joked. "Your brother's just a 'late bloomer', that's all."

Kagome smiled. "Well, _that_ and he's five years younger than me." she laughed.

"So you may have an emergent priest in your family." Miroku grinned.

* * *

><p>The boy in question was currently hanging by his wrists from the ceiling of a dark cave, held by thick webbing that was as strong as tempered steel. The cave was black as pitch, and Sota couldn't even see his own nose in front of his face. Though he couldn't see them, the cave was filled with the rotting corpses of half-eaten demons, all hanging from the ceiling by their wrists or equivalent appendages. These were all of Ukaran's previous victims up to this point, human males that she had infected with her venom and transformed into random demons, and then eaten. Thus the cave was filled with a sickening, nausea-inducing odor that made Sota want to throw up.<p>

_I never imagined my own journey to the Feudal Era would be like this._ Sota thought glumly. _I always pictured myself meeting all of Kagome's friends, hanging out with them for a few hours, then having Sis take me back home._ _Instead I get kidnapped by a gigantic spider who's gonna do who-knows-what to me._ The boy started to cry, realizing that he would most likely never see his family again, that this cavern would become his grave.

_"Sis, please help me!"_

* * *

><p>"Okay, now I'm <em>sure<em> something's wrong!" Kagome cried. She turned to Miroku with a desperate plea in her eyes. "We have to get back to Kaede's village and gather everyone we can find. Sota's in big trouble. I can _feel_ it!" she started running at full speed to their 'home' village, and Miroku found himself hard-pressed to keep up.

_She's really fast!_ the monk thought errantly as he ran beside her. _I'm about as fast as Inuyasha on foot, and she's keeping pace with me!_ _Must be the adrenaline._ he continued. _She's really worried about her little brother._

…

Five minutes later the two warriors arrived in town, only to stop short in horror. The small village was overrun by legions of spiders with some demons among them. They spotted their friends surrounded by arachnids in the middle of the village, huddled in a circle and facing outward, protecting the one member of their group with no fighting experience: young Rin. The remaining villagers wielded their plows as weapons, Kaede had drawn her bow and nocked an arrow, Sango and Kohaku had their weapons, and Inuyasha was still wielding his father's fang. Shippo and Kirara were also present, the neko-manta demon in her battle form and the young kitsune ready with his 'Smashing Top'.

"It looks like a standoff." Miroku breathed, glancing at the miko quaking beside him. He could understand her apprehension. Kagome hated spiders, and after the nightmare with Naraku, her fear had probably only intensified. But then he saw her eyes. There was no trace of fear in their chocolate-brown depths, and there was no sign of mercy either. Only black flames of outrage, hatred and righteous fury burned there. Miroku unconsciously backed up a few steps. _Yikes. Memo to myself: Never get on Kagome's bad side. Those eyes could burn down a whole forest!_ He thought as he readied a few of his sacred sutras.

Kagome herself nocked an arrow, and it began to glow brighter than anyone present had ever seen, save one. _Kagome is truly the one successor to my elder sister's spiritual powers._ _I think it safe to say that Kikyo-nee-san(1) would be very proud of ye, Priestess Kagome._

The teenaged miko fired her Sacred Arrow into the hordes, decimating the ones in range as if a bomb had just exploded in their ranks. Miroku chanted a quick spell, then hurled his sutras at the demon-spiders, as he could tell that they were leading the attack. He sighed inwardly. _Never thought I'd say it, but my Wind Tunnel would be pretty useful in this situation._ _I kinda miss it._ _It certainly made things in battle a lot easier._

When the two newcomers attacked, so did the small group of 'good guys'. Working as a unit and playing on each other's strengths, they managed to fight their way toward their friends, reuniting once more.

"Missed ya, Kagome." Inuyasha grinned, giving her a quick and gentle side-hug. "What took ya so long?" he smirked as he let loose another Wind Scar.

"Miroku saved me from drowning, but I'll tell you about the details later, if we survive _this_ onslaught." she told him cryptically, glaring at the swarms that had surrounded them once again.

"Really?" Inuyasha gasped, more than a little surprised and a bit impressed. "We'll _have_ to have story time later, you're right, _after_ we clean up _this_ mess." he growled. _Just one problem. There's _way_ too many of 'em. An' every time I think I've killed a sizable number, they keep multiplying. How're we gonna get outta _this_ one?_

His answer came in the form of a mocking voice from above their heads. "Pathetic as always, Inuyasha. You managed to get yourself in over your head quicker than even _I'd_ expected." a proud voice drawled. The irritated hanyou glared skyward as his older half-brother landed five feet away from him, already wielding his poison-whip in one hand and Bakusaiga(2) in the other.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin cried happily. "You came back!"

The demon lord glanced back at his young ward, then growled protectively, "Stay back, Rin. We'll handle this." he promised, then looked up. "Jaken. Now."

"At once, my lord!" the imp squeaked, removing the bridles from A-Un's two mouths and preparing his own weapon. "Behold the power of the Staff of Two Heads!" he screeched, and a torrent of flames burst from the mouth of the old man head, incinerating the hordes surrounding the Inu-tachi. A-Un attacked as well, shooting blue lightning out of his right mouth at the vermin attacking his favorite human. Sesshomaru wielded his poison-whip like a master, turning scores of spiders to bubbling pools of acid in seconds. And Bakusaiga was decimating the zounds as well, cutting enormous swathes of destruction through their ranks.

Sango–not wanting to be left out–covered her Hiraikotsu in a special salve that would make it fire-proof, then set it aflame with a little help from Kirara. "Take this, you pestilential menace! Hiraikotsu!" she cried, flinging her flaming boomerang into the swarm. Kohaku–taking a page out of his sister's book–did the same with his own weapon, though he had no battle cry to add.

With all of them–demons and humans–working together, they managed to eradicate most of the plague of spiders, leaving the survivors to retreat in defeat. Inuyasha scoffed as he sheathed the Tetsusaiga. "An' don't you ever come back! Unless you wanna become extinct!"

Sesshomaru, Jaken and A-Un stood off to the side, not wanting to be associated with Inuyasha's group. Rin ran over to the dog demon and tackled one of his legs in a hug. "Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru. You saved us all!"

"How presumptuous! Don't assume that Lord Sesshomaru came all this way just to–" Jaken broke off, as he saw the demon lord in question glaring at him. "That _is_ why I came here, Jaken. Do not assume that you know my goals just because of your years as my vassal." Sesshomaru knelt on one knee and growled. "I came here because I sensed you were in danger, Rin. Nothing less." he added mentally, _As I have said before, 'nothing is worth the cost of Rin's life!' That and–_

"Here." Sesshomaru huffed, handing the girl a package before standing up. "Happy Birthday Rin." he muttered so only she could hear, then flew off, Jaken and A-Un right behind him.

Rin gaped at her guardian, then thought to herself, _Oh yeah, that's right! Today's the anniversary of the day Sesshomaru-sama brought me back to life with the Tenseiga! That's what he must have meant by 'Happy Birthday'._

A few feet away, Kagome and the others were discussing their strategy of attack and rescue. Kagome felt in her heart that Sota was in trouble, and she could almost _feel_ his presence now, just as she could sense the shards of the Shikon no Tama in their previous quest.

In the midst of the group, Inuyasha was facing a small dilemma of his own. While he _did_ care about his 'biggest fan's well-being, he didn't like admitting weaknesses like concern for mere humans. Finally he growled, "After that attack today, Ukaran's army will be somewhat weaker. We should go on the offensive and attack while they're still 'licking their wounds', so to speak. She won't be as prepared right now, not when she's vulnerable and missing a good chunk of her forces."

"Good idea, Inuyasha. Just what I was thinking." Sango put in, smiling at her half-demon friend and comrade-in-arms. Beside her, Kohaku nodded. Sensing the urgency of this mission, Miroku pulled a strange instrument out of a pocket in his robes and blew into it, warning the demons and hanyou in their group to cover their ears before doing so. When he received a number of inquiring looks, he explained. "I made this 'whistle' a while ago, in case I needed to summon Hachi quickly. It produces a tone only demons can hear, and the range depends on the user's spiritual power. Needless to say, I can make it go quite a fair distance." He looked skyward, then smiled. "And so far it has never failed me."

"You shrieked, master Miroku?" the tanuki Hachiemon called, popping out of his flying form and landing before them as a raccoon-dog.

"Yes I did." Miroku answered, noticing with alarm that his friend/vassal's ears were bleeding. "Hachi! What happened?"

"I was in the area when that _vile_ _thing_ nearly burst both my eardrums. Did you _have_ to blow it _quite_ so hard?" the demon whined, and Miroku adopted a guilty and apologetic expression. "My sincerest apologies, old friend." he expressed contritely, genuinely sorry for hurting his faithful vassal.

"Nevertheless, I figured your reason for summoning me was important since you used that _thing_, so I hastened to your side with all speed." the tanuki continued.

"It _is_ important, Hachi, and I thank you for your timely response. The time has come that we take the battle to its instigator, the vile demon-arachnid Ukaran, for she has done the unthinkable and captured one of our own right from under our noses. Practically." Miroku growled, no trace of humor at all in his serious expression. Kagome looked at him, finding herself more and more impressed by his bravery and devotion to those he loved. _He doesn't know Sota from Adam, and yet he's willing to risk his _life_ to rescue him, just because he's _my_ little brother–_

"We need your help to get there, Hachi." Miroku continued. "As strong as she is, Kirara couldn't possibly carry all–" he paused to count his companions. "–six of us on her back, and we're still tired from the battle earlier. If you help us, we could rest on the way and recover our strength. Something tells me we'll need it." he concluded, a few worry lines appearing on his forehead as he narrowed his eyebrows in concern.

Hachi bowed his head. "Your wish is my command, master Miroku." he mumbled humbly, placing a leaf on his head and reciting a quick chant to turn himself into his oblong-balloon form, using much the same method that Shippo would use his Fox Magic to transform. In a matter of seconds–and when the dust had cleared–the tanuki had been replaced by a gigantic yellow balloon with a face and mouth. "All aboard, minna-san(3)! Let's go find your friend!" he cried as he rose into the air, headed for the west and the unknown.

* * *

><p>"Sota! Sota!" Grandpa Higurashi called, looking for his favorite grandson. Well technically he was his <em>only<em> grandson, but all the more reason for him to be protective, right? "Where _is_ that boy? He's gonna be late for school! I do hope he hasn't fallen down the Well and hurt himself." he growled.

At the doorway to the house, his daughter-in-law called, "He's not anywhere in the house, Dad. Any luck finding him out here?" she asked, to which the old man shook his head. "Is it possible he left already and simply forgot about taking a lunch?" he asked, but Mrs. Higurashi shook her head.

"No. His backpack is still here, and he would _never_ forget that. And his school uniform is on his desk chair where I left it last night after laundering it." she answered, noticing the Buyo was rubbing his head and back against her legs. "What is it, Buyo? Are you hungry?" she asked the pet, who meowed and started sauntering over to the Well shrine, scratching at its door until it opened. The two humans followed the old fat cat into the shrine, and Mrs. Higurashi gasped when she spotted a piece of torn cloth caught between two of the boards of the Well.

"This is–" she breathed. "This is a piece of his pajamas. Dad, I think Sota _did_ fall down the Well!" she cried, gazing down into it. "But I can't see him!" she panicked. By this time Grandpa Higurashi had entered the well shrine and shone a flashlight down into the space to try to find his grandson. But there was no young boy in the well.

"Is it possible that he can also travel through time like Kagome can?" Mrs. Higurashi guessed, desperately grasping at straws, hoping her son was all right. "Or maybe–" she gasped, suddenly realizing a possibility. "Could a _demon_ have pulled him through?!"

"I suppose it's possible, but you shouldn't worry yourself so much, yome-chan(4). Remember, Kagome is over there on the other side, and so is Inuyasha. Even if the unthinkable has happened and Sota _has_ been pulled through the Well to the Feudal Era, I am almost positive Kagome and her friends will find him, and 100% sure that they will keep him safe and bring him home."

Mama Higurashi took a deep breath, then sighed. "You're right Dad. It won't do him or us any good to panic about it. The most we can do is pray that he comes home safely."

"That is all anyone can do." Grandpa agreed sagely.

* * *

><p>After about an hour of traveling west, Kagome shouted, "It's just up ahead! I can almost feel him! Land right here in this clearing, Hachi. We'll need every advantage we can get, especially the element of surprise."<p>

"Understood, Miss Kagome." Hachiemon answered, spiraling down to the ground in large circles and letting his passengers off once he'd landed, popping back to his tanuki form once everyone had disembarked. Then the group of seven friends followed the miko as she herself followed the invisible bond that connected her and her brother Sota. A bond that she alone could sense. They followed their friend's instincts to a large dark cave, a monstrous cavern that reeked of the rotting flesh of demons and Ukaran's unique silk.

"_Blech_! Yep. That's Ukaran, all right." Inuyasha groused. "That's a smell you don't forget easily." He wrinkled his nose. "I'm gonna hafta fight one-handed in there, 'cause my other hand's gonna be holdin' my nose! And the _last_ thing I need is to pass out in there." he complained, and the others nodded.

Suddenly an idea came to Miroku. "I know! I can erect a barrier around us that will protect us from both the venomous webbing and that putrid odor. Just give me a second." he suggested, and everyone smiled at him appreciatively and in gratitude. Even–and perhaps most especially–Inuyasha. "Nice one, buddy!" he grinned when the barrier had formed around them.

Miroku smiled, proud of himself. Then he offered a warning. "This barrier will not protect against strong physical attacks though, and it allows living things to pass through it. We must still be very cautious and on our guard, my friends."

Everyone nodded, then ventured into the dark cavern with their various weapons at the ready.

"Ew. That's gotta be one of the most disgusting things I've ever seen, and I slay demons for a _living_!" Sango grimaced, and beside her, Kohaku nodded in agreement. Shippo was sitting in Kagome's arms, looking quite green. "If I see much more of this, I'm gonna be sick!"

"I know how ya feel, kid. This is ghastly stuff from which nightmares often spring." Inuyasha agreed with a growl.

"I'd say it's right up there with the Nazi Holocaust in Europe and the horrors that occurred in Hiroshima and Nagasaki." Kagome grimaced, once again confusing her companions with her knowledge of the future. [In this case, WWII]

"A grim sight indeed, but we must press on, lest this same fate befall young Sota." Miroku frowned, concentrating on maintaining his barrier and at the same time searching for signs of life ahead of them.

…

"I don't like this." Inuyasha growled a few minutes later.

"Well what's to like? We're in a smelly dark cave filled with webs and the corpses of rotting demons." Kagome answered, her tone slightly teasing to mask her unease.

"That's not what I meant." the hanyou huffed. "It's too quiet. You'd think Ukaran would leave at least a _few_ of her forces here to guard her hostage. But the only thing I can smell in here is decay and that stinking webbing of hers." he growled, looking around again warily.

"I sssssee you have a brain after all. Wondersssss will never ccccceassssse!" something hissed behind the heroes and they all spun around in horror to find a gigantic spider blocking their exit. They were trapped.

"Feh! I knew it." Inuyasha growled. "Ambush. A route only cowards and the truly desperate take."

"Sssssilenccccce!" Ukaran hissed. "Or your preccccciousssss brother diesssss!" She pointed behind them with one of her eight legs, and a second spider-demon clicked its pincers menacingly at a young boy who was hanging by his wrists and gagged with Ukaran's webbing. "Mmhfm!" Sota yelled, his words muffled and garbled by the webs around his mouth.

_Sota!_ Kagome's mind screamed, while a small part of her felt relief. _Good._ _He's not harmed, I think._ _At least for now._ _How're we gonna get him out of here?_

Beside her, Miroku was thinking along the same lines. _The boy is unharmed. Good. Now how do we get him and us out of her safely? Oh, if only–_ he glanced at his right hand briefly, then shook his head. _That was the whole reason I was searching for Naraku in the first place. To break my family's curse. Until I met Sango, that is._

Suddenly an idea came to him, and he leaned over to one of the younger members of the group. "Pst. Kohaku." he whispered, keeping his voice low so the demons wouldn't hear.

"Yes, Miroku-sama?" the boy whispered back, looking at his brother-in-law.

"Your weapon acts as a boomerang, right?" A nod. "Good. We'll need perfect timing for this." Kirara hopped up onto his shoulder when he glanced at her, and he whispered something into her ear. The cat-demon nodded and leapt down again, ready to jump into action as soon as the boys were.

"What are you foolsssss muttering about? Sssssaying your lassssst goodbyesssss? Don't worry; I'm quick to the kill. You'll all go to the nexxxxxt world at onccccce!" Ukaran cackled, and her forces hissed triumphantly.

"We were just figuring out the best way to say goodbye to _you_!" Kohaku shot back, just as Miroku shouted, "NOW!"

A blinding light exploded in the midst of the group, blinding all those who were not warned of it beforehand. Kohaku threw his chain-sickle at the web from which Sota hung, and the boy fell right onto Kirara's back. As this was happening, the rest of the group fought their way through the ranks of blinded spiders, running faster than any of them ever had before. They eventually made it out of the cave and all jumped onto Hachi's back, as he had transformed to his flying form at the first sign of danger. Then all eight of the group members collapsed in exhaustion, letting their biggest friend carry them home.

When the spiders and demons finally regained their sight, and Ukaran saw that both her hostage and her sworn enemies had escaped, she loosed a scream of outrage that could be heard for miles.

* * *

><p>"NOOOOO!" "I think somebody just found out she lost. <em>Again<em>." Inuyasha grinned when he heard the furious cry. Sango and Kagome just smiled at their friend, the former holding her husband gently in her lap. Well his head and shoulders, anyway.

That was really impressive, what Miroku did back there." Kagome commented. "I never knew he could do that."

"Master Miroku's sacred sutras can be used for a variety of things." Hachi answered. "I've only seen him do that 'explosion of light' once before, but it was a while ago when he was much younger. It wasn't nearly as powerful either. He must've used up every ounce of his remaining energy in that spell and got out here on adrenaline alone."

Kagome looked at the unconscious monk, grateful that he'd once again saved their lives. Sota was unconscious as well, his strength having finally given out after hanging by his wrists for almost a full 24 hours. Turning her gaze to Kohaku, Kagome leaned over and gave him a heartfelt hug and quick kiss on the cheek. "Thank you Kohaku. You saved my little brother's life."

The young taijiya blushed. "Ah, it was Miroku's idea. I just did what he told me."

"All the same, thank you." the miko repeated, and Kohaku smiled. "You are welcome, Miss Kagome."

"Hmph." Inuyasha huffed. "We shoulda stayed an' fought. I coulda taken those small fries and Ukaran."

"If we _had_ fought, she would've killed Sota!" Kagome objected. "You heard her! We're just really lucky she didn't expect whatever Miroku did to get us out of there. Hostage situations are almost always delicate affairs." she reminded him.

"Keh, I woulda found a way out of it. I always do." Inuyasha argued, still stubborn about the issue. As usual.

"More like you always make a mess of things and somebody _else_ has to help you out." Shippo corrected, earning himself a bonk on the noggin from Inuyasha's fist.

"Zip it, runt. I wasn't asking you." he growled, turning away.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome chided, then muttered, "I'd tell you to 'S-I-T', but I don't wanna hurt Hachi."

"Thank you, Miss Kagome." the tanuki commented gratefully, then announced to everyone present who was conscious, "Hey, we're almost there! That's Kaede-baba's village up ahead!"

"Good work, Hachi. And thanks for sticking around while we were in the cave. I know it must have been scary." Sango put in, speaking for the first time in a while.

"Yeah, it was. But I figured you guys would handle it, so I stuck around." the tanuki answered, landing on the outskirts of the village so as not to alarm its inhabitants unnecessarily. "Last stop for all those flying 'Air Hachiemon'. Thank you for choosing us for all of your traveling needs, and don't hesitate to fly with us in the future, just as long as it's nothing too scary."

Everyone snickered at that and the group of friends dismounted, Kirara carrying the still-unconscious Miroku on her back. Inuyasha was carrying Sota on his. The tanuki popped back to his usual form and shouldered a small sack of provisions. "Well until we meet again, my friends. Fare thee well!" Then he set off for parts unknown.

Sango smiled. "Well, I think we've had quite enough adventures for one day. I'm beat." Everyone except for Inuyasha agreed with her, and they all headed for Kaede's hut and the promise of a safe, warm place to sleep tonight.

* * *

><p><span>End of chapter 10<span>

Next chapter teaser: Fiery Demise

If any of you lovely readers have been to the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC, you'll know what Kagome was talking about in this chapter. I'll warn you though, for those who haven't been there, it's not for those who get heartsick easily. (Like me.) *Shudder*

Sesshomaru: I have to agree with you there, human. Humans' capacity for atrocity is great indeed.

Me: Ugh. Don't remind me.

Translations:

**Nee-san** – Older sister.

**Bakusaiga** – 'Explosive Crushing Fang' A sword that was created from Sesshomaru's own body. It is his final signature sword.

**Minna-san** – Everyone.

**Yome-chan** – Daughter-in-law (referring to Kagome's mother)

Sayonara!

Tsunami Storm


	11. Fiery Demise

Reborn, an Inuyasha fanfic by Tsunami Storm

Chapter 11: Fiery Demise

* * *

><p>The next day–<p>

"Unnh–" Sota groaned, opening his eyes and rubbing his head. "Where– am I?" he asked, not recognizing his surroundings.

"Oh, good. You're awake. Kagome was really worried." an unfamiliar voice answered. Sota looked around and saw a kind, beautiful face smiling down on him. The owner of the face was clad in a sky-blue kimono decorated with white puffy clouds and wearing a sash that both fit with the outfit and accentuated her pregnancy.

"A-are you an angel, miss?" Sota asked, still confused.

The beautiful young woman laughed. "What makes you say that?"

"Well I must be dead, and someone as beautiful as you could only be an angel." he explained, making the woman chuckle and turn just a bit pink at the compliment.

"You sound just like my husband." Sango laughed, for it was she. "He's always saying stuff like that. But you're not dead, young lad. We rescued you from Ukaran and brought you back here to Kaede-ba-chan's house. You've been unconscious for almost a full cycle." she told him, putting a cold, damp cloth on his head. "I thank you for the compliment, but I'm no angel. Just a regular demonslayer. My name is Sango."

Sota smiled and offered his hand, which Sango shook. "I'm pleased to meet you, Sango. My name is Sota Higurashi."

"I know. Kagome has told us about you before." the taijiya answered, just as the young woman in question came through the reed door. She gasped as soon as she spotted her brother, then ran over and knelt at his side. "Sota! You're awake!" she cried, hugging him tightly.

Sota winced. "Not so loud, Sis. I have a killer headache."

The miko looked horrified. "Sorry!" she whispered. "Would you like some tea? It's the closest thing we've got to aspirin here." she offered, and the boy nodded gratefully. Sango meanwhile had turned her attention to her other 'patient', who was still incapacitated.

"How is he, Sango?" Kagome asked, concerned for her 'big brother'.

The pregnant taijiya frowned. "Better than he was yesterday, but still inert. I'm getting worried." she answered, worry lines wrinkling her forehead.

"He'll wake up when he's ready, Sango. Don't stress yourself." Kagome comforted, busying herself with the tea.

"You're right, Kagome. Worrying too much will just give one premature wrinkles." she joked, though her chocolate-brown eyes were still on Miroku, worried for him. Then she changed the subject. "On another note, where's Inuyasha?" Sango asked, and Kagome smiled proudly. "Would you believe me if I told you that he actually _volunteered_–of his own free will–to go to my time and explain to Mom and Grandpa what happened to Sota?"

"Really? _Inuyasha_?!" the young woman asked, flabbergasted. "_Our_ Inuyasha?"

"Yep." Kagome laughed. "I couldn't believe it either. At first I thought he was kidding and I joked back, 'Who are you and what have you done with my more self-centered boyfriend?' I expected him to come back with a snarky reply, but he got this super-serious look on his face and said, 'I don't want to be that selfish guy anymore. I wanna be the guy who takes care of the people he loves. That includes the families of said people.' Then he jumped off toward the Bone-Eater's Well."

"Wow." the taijiya breathed, too stunned to say more than that. _He really has grown up. He's finally learned how to be responsible._

* * *

><p>Five centuries into the future, the half-demon sneezed while on his way to the house from the Well. <em>Hmph. Kagome's talkin' about me again. Guess I shouldn't be too surprised. I really shocked her speechless earlier. Heck I shocked <em>myself_! And especially 'cause I actually _meant_ it! Eh, must be because there's gonna be a new moon tonight._

But Inuyasha knew in his heart that that wasn't the _real_ reason. He was just making excuses to deny his 'weak' human emotions. He knew he loved Kagome, and he knew he wanted to protect her. And that included her family.

_Knock. Knock. Knock._ Inuyasha rapped his knuckles on the wooden part of the screen door and when no one answered, he just shrugged and let himself in. "Higurashi-Kaa-san(1)? Jii-san? It's Inuyasha. I'm comin' in."

A red-faced, teary-eyed Mrs. Higurashi came around the corner. She quickly dried her eyes with her sleeve. "Oh, Inuyasha." she sniffled. "What– brings you here?"

The hanyou smiled encouragingly, trying his best not to say anything insensitive, because now was definitely not the time. "You don't have to worry about your son, Higurashi-san. He's safe and sound back with Kagome in old Kaede's village. He's got a few cuts an' bruises from his little 'adventure', but he'll be fine. Kagome and the others are takin' good care of him, an' she'll bring him back home in a few days when he recovers." he assured, and before he knew it, he was holding a sobbing mother in his arms.

"Oh thank you, Inuyasha. Bless you!" she wailed, tears of relief and joy flowing freely from her eyes. "You don't know how worried we've been! Bless you! May Kami-sama bless you!"

Inuyasha patted her back awkwardly, thinking, _Huh. I usually get people cursing me, not blessing. Then again, this _is_ the first time I've done something like _this_._ "Hey. Everything's okay, so stop yer crying. Yer makin' a mess." he teased gently, patting her back again.

Mrs. Higurashi laughed. "You're right. I'm sorry. Pull yourself together." she chided herself. She dried her eyes with her apron and smiled warmly at her daughter's boyfriend. "How is he doing? You said he has a few cuts and bruises. Are they serious?"

Inuyasha smiled. "Nah. Just little bumps and scrapes. He was still asleep when I left, but looked like he could wake up at any time. With any luck he'll be completely fine in a couple days. In the meantime we can show him around, so he can see what we do in the Feudal Era every day. I know he's been wanting to see what it's like. Now's the perfect chance."

Mrs. Higurashi nodded. "I know you'll keep him safe, between you and Kagome and your other friends. Just don't take _too_ long. He still has school, you know." she laughed.

Inuyasha laughed too. "If Kagome can catch up after _months_ of bein' with us, _he_ certainly can after only a couple _days_." he joked. Kagome's mother smiled at that, then returned to relay the joyous news to her father-in-law as Inuyasha ran back to the Bone-Eater's Well to return to Feudal Japan.

* * *

><p>As it happened, Sota Higurashi exceeded all expectations when it came to recovering from injuries. The next day he was up and about, fascinated by every little daily thing about life in the Feudal Era. He was ecstatic to meet all of Kagome's friends except for Miroku, who was still unconscious and recovering in Kaede's hut. Inuyasha was proud to finally show off his various techniques–with and without the Tetsusaiga–as was Shippo, and the two youngsters spent hours playing with the kitsune's plethora of tools.<p>

…

And so a few days passed, with the young lad from the future having the time of his life. At the end of the week, Kagome took him home to their own time, promising that she would bring him back soon–in fact the next time they both had a break from school. Just as the two siblings jumped through the Well, Miroku finally woke up and asked, "What did I miss?"

…

In this manner, nearly four months passed for Inuyasha and his friends. Four quiet months of peace in which Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, Shippo and Kohaku worked on building a house for the growing family and Sango rested due to her pregnancy. She would often assist Kaede with harvesting various herbs and making poultices and cures for the villagers, given that she wasn't supposed to do anything too strenuous. Sesshomaru would return from time to time, bringing small gifts for Rin, most often a new kimono.

However while the heroes were enjoying a time of peace, their enemies were plotting their revenge. Most notably Ukaran. She called back her remaining hordes that were scattered around the country, hissing in disappointment and disgust when she saw that only one quarter of her once-innumerable armies had survived.

"Very sssssoon, my children." the Queen of Arachnids promised. "Our revenge isssss at hand. With each of my victimsssss, I grow ever ssssstronger. There will be no one to ssssstop usssss thisssss time." she cackled, proclaiming her imminent victory to the heavens.

* * *

><p>With the progression into the winter months, everyone started attiring themselves to adjust to the colder weather. Kagome started wearing sweaters and jeans instead of her school uniform, and Kirara started to get a thicker coat for winter. Even Shippo's tail looked fluffier.<p>

Kagome was humming to herself as she sewed together some new winter clothes for Shippo and Kohaku as a kind of surprise gift for Christmas, as it was coming up soon. She'd already brought a rather large jar of catnip from her time for Kirara and she would catch some fish and grill them closer to the holiday, as she knew it was one of the cat's favorite treats.

_Hmm. What should I get for Inuyasha?_ she wondered. _And Miroku? I wanna get them something useful, but what? They're both pretty self-sufficient, not really using many things. I _could_ re-bind the handle of Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga. It's looking pretty scraggly._ Suddenly an idea came to her. _Of course! That would be the _perfect_ gift!_ She snapped her fingers. _And I could get one for all of us! Now if only Mom would let me borrow her camera–_ As soon as she was done sewing the clothes together and wrapping them up nicely in packages that she'd brought, Kagome snuck off to the Bone-Eater's Well to ask her mother for the portable camera and a few other things she needed to get.

…

"Hey, where'd Kagome go?" Inuyasha asked an hour later, coming back to Kaede's hut for dinner. Miroku shrugged, but Sango answered, "She said something about going back to her time to get a few things. She said she wouldn't be long, and to tell you not to worry. She knows you quite well, huh?" she asked, a teasing grin on her face.

"I guess." the hanyou growled, trying very hard not to show his embarrassment.

At that moment, the young woman in question poked her head in the reed door. "Hey everyone! I'm back!" she greeted cheerfully, and was rewarded with six welcoming smiles from the group of her dearest friends and pseudo-family members. After a delicious dinner, Kagome asked all of her friends to come outside for something she called a 'group photo'. Everyone followed her out into the evening air, though they were confused. When Kohaku asked her what this was for, the miko winked at him. "It's a surprise." she answered cryptically.

Eventually she got everyone standing in the right places and set up her mom's camera on a tripod that had belonged to her father. Miroku stood with Sango on his right, his hand on her shoulder. The taijiya had one hand cradling her womb and her left on her brother's shoulder, who was standing in front of Miroku. Inuyasha was on Miroku's left, the Tetsusaiga over his right shoulder and pointing backward. Kaede was in front of him, her hands folded behind her back. Rin stood just between Kaede and Kohaku and behind Shippo and Kirara. These two were in the front as they were the smallest of the group. Kagome would stand beside Inuyasha when she was done setting up the camera.

"I'm gonna need everyone to smile, even you, Inuyasha." Kagome instructed, teasing her boyfriend just a little bit. "There will be a small blinking light when the camera's about to take the picture, and that's when I'll run over to stand by you, Inuyasha. The flash will go off and it will take the photo. Then we can move on to individual and couples pictures." she explained, and most of the group nodded in understanding.

"You sure it's not gonna blow up?" Inuyasha asked, remembering a similar 'disaster' in a photo booth once in the Modern Era. Kagome giggled, remembering the same event. [See Movie 2.] "I'm positive. It won't hurt in the slightest." She pushed a button on the device and a small orange light began blinking, just as she had said. Everyone put on their best smiles and looked at the device, and Inuyasha put his hand on Kagome's shoulder when she reached him. The camera flashed, immortalizing the moment forever. The group then dispersed, and the friends took pictures of each other and the various smaller groups.

Just as Kagome finished the last one–a picture of Miroku and Sango–a familiar demon lord descended from the sky, though this time without the two-headed dragon A-Un. He landed beside Rin, Jaken on his other side, and Kagome quickly snapped a picture when all three subjects looked at the camera for an instant.

Sesshomaru glared at the human girl, and she smiled sheepishly. The demon lord growled, "I know not what that weapon of yours does, but such a weak thing cannot harm me. You made a grave error choosing _me_ as your target." He put a clawed hand on the hilt of his blade, but stopped when Rin held him back.

"It's not a weapon, Sesshomaru-sama!" she cried. "It just draws a picture really quickly. Miss Kagome wasn't trying to harm anyone!" she explained, honestly afraid for her human friend. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed, but he released Bakusaiga's hilt and nodded. He wordlessly handed a small package to the child, then flew off, Jaken barely grabbing the tail-end of the Mokomoko as they left.

"_Another_ gift?" Kaede asked, raising an eyebrow. She would never understand demons like Sesshomaru or half-demons like Inuyasha. And apparently their father had been fond of humans as well.

* * *

><p>The next evening–<p>

"Merry Christmas everyone!" Kagome greeted her companions, who answered back with the same. Everyone was convened in Miroku and Sango's unfinished house, resting after working on it all day. "Well technically it's only Christmas Eve, but still." she shrugged, handing some of the packages she was carrying to their respective recipients. "I've got a little something for everyone."

Everyone smiled, and Shippo put in, "Thanks Kagome! But– we don't have anything for you." he looked embarrassed. The miko laughed. "That's all right, Shippo. Just call this first Christmas a 'thank-you' gift from me, for being the best friends and second family a girl could ask for. You can get me something next year." she smiled, and everyone began opening their presents, the smallest packages first.

"Oh wow! These are beautiful, Kagome!" Sango exclaimed, holding up a small gold locket, one of a set of seven. "Both sides have a picture in it from the photos we took yesterday. Pictures of the people we hold close to our hearts." the miko explained, and everyone opened the lockets to find tiny pictures of their loved ones inside.

"Hey, how come _I_ didn't get one?" Inuyasha asked, disappointed.

"You already have one, remember? I gave it to you before all that business with Princess Kaguya and her strange mirror. [Inuyasha Movie 2, Through the Looking Glass]" Kagome answered, and Inuyasha suddenly remembered, pulling the small accessory out of his pocket and putting it around his neck. "Oh yeah." he answered quietly, holding the locket gently and looking at it fondly.

After everyone had donned their respective lockets, they each opened their second presents. Kohaku and Shippo beamed at their thoughtful friend from the future when they received their new winter clothes; Kaede put her new warming pad to use right away, as her shoulder had been bothering her for the past few days; Miroku and Sango admired their new wristwatches–after Kagome explained how they worked–and Inuyasha gained an impressed look on his face when he noticed Kagome's handiwork on Tetsusaiga's new hilt. Kirara didn't say anything, but Kagome could tell that the neko-manta demon was extremely pleased with her presents, as she was attacking one of the grilled fish with enthusiasm and purring loudly.

…

Hours passed, and midnight found the group sound asleep in the unfinished house. Kaede, Rin and Kohaku had returned to the village, as their beds were elsewhere. The remains of a fire in the pit smoldered gently, and everyone was curled up close to it and each other to keep warm. Four walls and a ceiling protected them from the elements, but that was about the extent of their progress. So deep was their sleep that not even Inuyasha–with his keen sense of hearing–noticed the nearly-silent skittering of Ukaran and her hordes until it was too late. The demon spider hung her stinger over a sleeping Miroku and suddenly jabbed it into the center of his chest. The monk cried out in shock and pain, too stunned to fight as Ukaran bound him up in her giant web in seconds. Inuyasha woke immediately and tried to help his friend, but he too was stabbed with Ukaran's giant stinger. Kagome and Sango–though they put up a good fight–were easily dispatched with blows to the head from Ukaran's mighty legs. Shippo and Kirara fought too, but soon were cocooned in the Queen Arachnid's venomous silk.

–Commercial Break–

It was a hopeless situation. Both Inuyasha and Kagome were incapacitated, infected by Ukaran's venom and unconscious from a blow to the head, respectively. Sango was also collapsed on the floor of the half-finished dwelling, inert but still breathing. Kirara and Shippo were also down, the neko-youkai immobilized by Ukaran's silk, the bonds as strong as tempered steel. Shippo was similarly bound, though he at least had managed to stay above the waves of unconsciousness, unsuccessfully attempting to chew himself free of the webbing that bound him.

But there was one of the company whose plight surpassed that of all the friends combined. Between two of the rafters hung an enormous web–its strands like steel beams–holding fast Ukaran's helpless victim as he thrashed and cried out in agony, the venom slowly burning through his body from the entrance wound in the middle of his torso. As the venom coursed through his bloodstream, Miroku could almost feel the changes taking place as he slowly transformed from human to a random race of demon. He cried out as the pain grew to an unbearable level, his eyes switching colors as he fought the venom, changing from dark blue irises to completely red and back again, swapping as the two opposing types of genes gained dominance in his body. [Just like Sesshomaru's or Inuyasha's eyes occasionally change colors in the series.]

"Miroku! Hang on! Please, hang in there!" Shippo cried as he could only watch his friend in horror as the young man struggled and fought against the venom slowly overtaking his body, demon markings appearing on his face and brow as the demon gained dominance, and fading again as Miroku gained control once more. His cries switched between those of a human in pain and the snarls of a wounded demon, sounding almost feral in their tone. Above them all Ukaran was gloating, her red eyes glowing maniacally as she watched her helpless victims struggle against her venom, smiling smugly as she savored her victory.

"Inuyasha!" the young kitsune cried as he fought to free himself. "Inuyasha, snap out of it! Use your Tetsusaiga!" His cries fell on deaf ears though, as his hanyou friend was too far gone in his shock that he couldn't hear the young fox demon's words, much less act on them. The half-demon was immobilized next to Kagome, who stared with blank brown eyes at the back wall as she lay on her stomach. Inuyasha had his hand on her shoulder, but because of the paralyzing venom, couldn't move a muscle in his limbs. The only action available to him was speech, and one whispered word repeated every five seconds, sounding like a broken record. "Kagome– _Kagome_–" Every word was punctuated with a broken sob, though no tears fell from the half-demon's eyes.

"I-Inu-yash-sha–" Miroku gasped, breaking free of the venom's influence for a moment, causing the kitsune to look at him in shock. "Shi-shikkari shite–!(1)" he managed to choke out before the demon took over again, causing him to throw his head back in a mixture of a vicious snarl and a human cry of pain.

"Miroku–" Shippo gasped, turning to look at his friend again. _He doesn't have much time left. I can see that he's losing this battle. I gotta get free, before he completely transforms!_ At this thought, he redoubled his efforts to bite through the webs that bound him. High above the group, Ukaran cackled gleefully.

"You pitiful insssssignificant foolsssss!" the arachnid youkai laughed. "Did you really think you could defeat me? Me, the missssstresssss of all evil and the mate of the mossssst powerful demon ever to exissssst? You ssssshall all feel the sssssting of my venom, even _you_, little fox-child!" she crowed, grinning broadly at Shippo, who was shaking slightly. But what Ukaran thought was fear was actually resolve. Shippo had managed to free one of his hands from his half-finished cocoon-prison, and was now digging in his pockets for the only thing that could save them now: his Fox Magic. He threw the toy rattlesnake at Ukaran–praying that it would distract her–then threw his toy horse and wailing mushrooms as hard as he could toward Kaede's village.

The distraction worked as well as Shippo had hoped it would, but for his brave deed he was rewarded with multiple deep gashes in his arms and legs and across his face, leaving a bloody mess all over his clothes and on the half-finished wood floor of the house that Sango and Miroku had been working for weeks to build. Shippo bravely endured the wounds and lacerations as they tore at his small body, not even daring to risk a peek outside where he had thrown their cry for help. _I only hope I haven't acted too late–_ Shippo thought as he remembered the events in the ruins of Tenshi no Toshi, so long ago now.

–Flashback–

"What do we do, Kohaku? How do we get out of here?" Shippo cried as the army of demon-spiders closed in on them from all sides, effectively blocking any and all escape routes. Soon the two boys and cat demon found themselves backed up against the broken stone wall.

Shippo was shaking so badly that his Fox Magic tools were clattering around in his shirt, but Kirara and Kohaku stood firm, bold and strong in the face of danger and almost certain death. There was no fear in the young demonslayer's eyes, only grim determination as he surveyed the hordes of demon-spiders that surrounded them, clicking their pincers and hissing menacingly.

Kohaku surveyed the plethora of adversaries with a hard gaze, trying to ascertain any weaknesses that the youkai might have. He looked at Shippo to his left and Kirara to his right, desperately attempting to formulate a winning strategy. Suddenly an idea came to him, and the corners of the boy's mouth bent upward in a smug grin. He knew how to beat them now. "Psst, Shippo." the boy whispered, catching the attention of his quaking kitsune friend.

"What?"

"Look at Kirara's legs. See how those spiders are giving her a wide berth? Well, _that's_ how we'll beat them. Their weakness is–"

"Fox Fire!" Shippo cried, snapping himself back to the present as blue-turquoise flames erupted all around the group of friends, incinerating the webs that bound them and shielding them from the true flames that suddenly were consuming the half-finished house they were trapped in. The townsfolk had arrived, led by Kaede and Kohaku. Ukaran shrieked and spat venom at the tongues of flame all around her, but her venom only served as fuel for the fire.

"Kill the spider-demons!" "Fire is their only weakness!" "Burn them to ashes!" came the cries of the villagers, and Shippo grinned. _Something tells me they got the message. Nice work, Kohaku._

"You have not ssssseen the lassssst of me!" Ukaran screeched as her hordes were fried by the holocaust of flames. "Mark well my wordsssss, Ukaran ssssshall have vengeanccccce! For myssssself and my fated mate, Naraku!" The Queen of Arachnids tried to scuttle away, but due to all the lives she'd claimed, she was now too big to escape the raging inferno. "Curssssse you, humansssss! Curssssse you, fox-child! AAAAAHHH!" she cried as a blazing rafter snapped under her weight and she fell to the ground, both jagged ends of the beam piercing her grotesquely-enlarged abdomen. Then her corpse was engulfed in flames.

Shippo grimaced in disgust, shuddered once at the sickening sight, then turned around to maintain the fire-shield around his friends. Inuyasha had lost consciousness from the venom, and Sango and Kagome were still out too. Kirara had somehow bitten herself free and was now dragging an unconscious Miroku within the barrier limits by the back of the neck of his robes. Well, what was left of them anyway.

"Kirara! What are you doing? He's been infected by Ukaran's venom! He'll turn into a demon and kill us all! Don't bring him in here!" Shippo cried in alarm, adding softly and sadly, "It's too late for him."

The large neko-youkai ignored her fellow demon's words, stubbornly refusing to let her friend die, emergent demon or not. Once he was completely inside the safe area, Kirara transformed back into her kitten form and nuzzled her small nose against Miroku's cheek, licking his forehead with her small tongue, the feline version of a kiss. She then looked at Shippo with mournful red eyes, and Shippo sighed. "You're right, Kirara. He's our friend. We can't let him die, he needs our help." Still maintaining the field around himself and his unconscious friends, the kitsune carefully stepped over to where his friend lay and studied his face closely.

_He's got markings like Sesshomaru now._ the fox kit thought as he looked at Miroku. _A horizontal red mark under each eye, and a small blue moon in the middle of his forehead. But these are faded somehow. Does that mean that _Miroku_ is in control and not the demon?_ Shippo cupped his chin at this, bowing his head in consideration. _With Sesshomaru, the red markings almost look like wounds, fresh and bleeding blood-red. But these–_ Shippo bent to Miroku's face again, to study the marks more closely. _They look like they've been healing for weeks. More like an old scar. Kinda rose-colored._

"Shippo! Where are you, buddy?" a familiar voice called, and the kitsune was jolted out of his musings. It was Kohaku. "Over here! We're all over here!" he called back.

By this time the fire had burned itself out, having nothing more to feed on. Shippo tentatively let down his fire shield and everyone rushed over to the group, most of whom were unconscious. Without warning, Kirara changed back into her battle form and took off into the air, an unconscious Miroku on her back. Shippo was confused for a moment, but then shrugged. _It's probably a good idea to keep him out of the public eye. We don't want anyone seeing him like this. Who knows what they would do._

Elsewhere Kaede was barking orders at the other villagers. "Take them to my house, and by the spirits, be careful with the demonslayer! That baby could come any day now. I do hope the child will be unharmed by all of this." The last she muttered to herself, but Shippo heard it with his keen fox ears. _Me too, Kaede-baba. Me too._

* * *

><p>Kirara flew over the burned Forest of Inuyasha to the Bone-Eater's Well, gently depositing her passenger on the ground and setting him so that he leaned with his back against one side of the structure. As she tried her best to put him in a position that was comfortable for humans, she noticed that something about her friend was wrong. Rather she sensed that something that <em>should<em> be present was not. Cocking her head in confusion, Kirara put one ear to the monk's chest and listened.

–and waited.

–and listened.

There was no sound at all.

Miroku's heart had stopped.

* * *

><p><span>End of chapter (episode) 11<span>

Next chapter teaser: Miracles and Surprises

Yay! Ukaran is FINALLY dead! This is actually the battle scene that came to me in a dream, where the whole idea started. [except for the flashback]

Don't worry. We'll see Miroku again. Although it probably won't be where you expect. *grins knowingly*

Speaking of our favorite houshi-sama, I wonder what demon he turned into? He's got markings like Sesshomaru, but we have enough dog demons running around. Ooo, mystery!

Translations:

**Shikkari shite** – Pull yourself together, hang in there, snap out of it, something like that. I probably spelled it wrong, didn't I? Sorry. Japanese isn't my first language.

Ja ne, minna-san!

Tsunami Storm


	12. Miracles and Surprises

Reborn, an Inuyasha fanfic by Tsunami Storm

Chapter 12: Miracles and Surprises

* * *

><p>"How could this have happened?" Kagome wailed quietly to herself as she sat in the hut at Sango's side, holding her hand. Rin and Kaede were there too, and Inuyasha, Kohaku and Shippo waited outside. It was finally time. Sango had gone into labor just as the sun broke the horizon, and her baby would be coming any minute now. "Sango's gonna be a mother–I <em>am<em> glad for that–but the father of her child–" she broke off, sobbing into her hands.

"Please, Miss Kagome. Try to be strong. Tears will not help Miss Sango right now." Rin asked sympathetically, holding Sango's other hand for comfort. She knew what kind of pain the young miko felt, but now was not the time to mourn. Sango needed their help, emotionally and physically.

"You're right, Rin. I can't cry right now. I've gotta help Sango." she answered as the taijiya cried out in pain as her contractions resumed after the brief respite. Kagome and Rin grimaced as Sango squeezed their hands, nearly cutting off the circulation. "AAGH! I can feel its head now!" she cried, and Kaede–who was at the other end–encouraged, "Yes, that's it, Sango. Push! It is almost out!"

Sango panted with exhaustion and effort, looking at the other three females with wide and pain-filled eyes, gasping to Kagome, "I– I can't! I-I'm not– strong enough!"

"You can do it Sango!" Kagome countered, looking at her friend with nothing but determination and love in her brown eyes. "I know you can! Just one more good push! Here, we'll do it together. On three: one– two–"

"THREE!" Sango cried, putting all of her strength into pushing the baby out of her pelvic cavity. A few tense seconds passed, then Kaede exclaimed, "It's out! Congratulations Sango, it is a girl! A beautiful, healthy baby girl!"

"A– _girl_?" Sango gasped in confusion and surprise, then her expression changed to wonder as the reality sank in. "My– daughter. Miroku– our child– is a daughter!" She sighed in relief and exhausted excitement as Kaede carefully cut the umbilical cord and handed the newborn to her mother, cleaning off the blood and fluids from its face with a clean cloth.

"Our– daughter." Sango sighed again happily, but then gasped as her contractions began anew. "What? _Again_?!" she cried, quickly handing her baby to Kagome, who took her gently and almost reverently. She gasped as another head began poking its way out of her body, and it was all she could do to try to not break poor Rin's hand.

"It seems that ye were pregnant with twins, child, and not just one as we had first thought." Kaede observed, a tad unnecessarily.

* * *

><p>"TWINS?!" Sango shouted in shock, and the boys outside looked at each other with similar expressions. Then Inuyasha grinned. <em>Miroku, you lucky dog! Twins! Who'dve thought you had it in ya, huh?<em> A heavily-bandaged Shippo just jumped up and down as he celebrated, forgetting for a moment that he was still injured from the battle with Ukaran. "Finally! I'm not the baby of the group! YEAH!"

…

Half an hour later, both newborns were resting like their mother, one asleep in Kagome's arms, the other in Kaede's strong, capable hands. Both had dark hair like Sango, but had complexions like their father. All three were breathing steadily as they slept, exhausted after the birth. While they slept, Rin gently cleaned the babies off with a cloth soaked in warm water and dabbed them dry with another.

Outside, Shippo, Inuyasha and Kohaku just grinned at each other, immensely happy for their friend and sister who was now a mother. Suddenly something happened that none of them expected. Sesshomaru dropped from the sky between them and the hut and without so much as an acknowledging glance, pushed aside the reed door and walked in. Kohaku, Inuyasha and Shippo were too stunned to move, and could only gape in utter shock.

"Rin, I heard you cry out. Are you hurt?" the demon lord asked, looking only at the young girl he considered his daughter, completely ignoring the other five females in the room.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin cried happily, jumping up from her kneeling position and tackling one of the demon's legs in a big hug. "You're back! I missed you so much, my lord!"

"Are you hurt?" Sesshomaru repeated, although there was a new twinkle of fondness in his eyes that wasn't there a second ago.

"Um, no, not permanently." the girl answered, turning a little red. "Miss Sango was just squeezing my hand a little too hard, that's all. That's why I cried out. She had twins!" she exclaimed, pointing to the two babies in the mikos' arms.

"I see." was his short reply as he spared a glance at the newborns before bending down to inspect Rin's hand. When he was satisfied that it was not broken, he turned to leave, tilting his head ever so slightly in a gesture to follow him outside. Rin happily obeyed without question, shooting an apologetic smile at Kagome and Kaede, who could only gape in shock just like the boys.

Once they were outside, Rin gasped, "You're so amazing, Lord Sesshomaru! How could you hear me from miles away, or wherever you were?"

"I was in the area." he answered just as Inuyasha put in, "Dog demons like me an' him got excellent hearing. He could prob'ly hear _you_ from 50 miles away." The true demon glared at his half-demon half-brother, and Inuyasha backpedaled. "It's not that you're loud, but that he's so used to listening for you, probably. He's real protective of you, and that's odd for him."

"Yeah, Sesshomaru _hates_ humans, but I guess you're the exception." Shippo commented brightly, but clammed up when Sesshomaru turned his glare on him.

"Like I said, I was in the area. I detected a strange smell, something I don't recall encountering before. I was investigating this demon's scent and heard Rin's cry." Sesshomaru growled, not appreciating having to explain himself. "The scent was coming from around that old dry well by that tree that you were sealed to, Inuyasha. I gather that that well is the source. Go investigate if you wish. I no longer care." Then he flew back up into the air where A-Un and Jaken were waiting.

"Feh. Showoff." the hanyou spat when his brother was out of sight. "Always actin' all high and mighty. Arrogant, pompous little–" he growled to himself.

"He's not _that_ bad, Inuyasha-sama." Rin commented, looking at the hanyou reprovingly for insulting her best friend and father-figure. "He _can_ be a little proud sometimes, but that's just what makes him _him_. You have your faults, too. Try to be a little more understanding." then she skipped back into the hut, leaving a gaping Inuyasha mouthing silently like a fish out of water.

"She's got you there, Inuyasha." Kohaku commented as he stifled a chuckle. But before anyone could say any more, Rin came back out and announced, "Kohaku, you can come in. You wanna see your two nieces?"

Now it was Kohaku's turn to gape like a beached fish. He was an _uncle_ now! He had never considered that fact before, and it threw him for a minute. After the truth sank in, he nodded solemnly and folded back the reed door, letting himself in.

Meanwhile Shippo and Inuyasha remained outside, staring at the hut for a while. Then Shippo shook his head and turned to his friend. "What do you think Sesshomaru meant? What could've made that scent? It can't be Ukaran. She's dead. And he would've recognized the scent of a spider-demon."

"Dunno. Think we should check it out? The girls are all fine in there anyway, or they would've called us in by now." Inuyasha answered, and Shippo nodded, both in agreement to his statement and an answer to his question. "Let's go," they said in unison, quite unintentionally. Then the kitsune climbed onto Inuyasha's shoulder, and the hanyou jumped off in the direction of the Bone-Eater's Well.

* * *

><p>"Unnh." a familiar voice groaned, surfacing from beneath the waves of unconsciousness. He opened his dark blue eyes slowly, but quickly closed them as a blinding white light shone above and all around him. He put a hand on his chest–vaguely registering that it was bare–remembering that his robes had been torn nearly to shreds in the battle with Ukaran. As he lay there waiting for his eyes to adjust, he moved his hand around to different parts of his body, searching for something that was amiss. He checked his wrist, his temple, the center of his chest, and finally the side of his neck, but found nothing.<p>

"I don't have a heartbeat." he gasped to himself. "Does that mean– Am I– Did I– _die_?"

_"No son. You are still very much alive, in a manner of speaking."_ another familiar voice answered his inquiry. The young man's eyes snapped open at the sound of his visitor's voice, hardly believing this could be real. "It– it can't be." he muttered softly to himself in shock. Then louder, "_Father_?"

_"Yes my son. I'm here."_ the other man answered, smiling down on his only child, immeasurably proud of the man he had become. And that pride echoed in his voice. Recognition and love shone in the younger man's eyes as he sprang to his feet, embracing his long-dead father in what would've been a bone-crushing hug had they physical, earthly bodies. Instead their souls had instinctively created 'spirit bodies' that they could use, ones that took the form and appearance of the physical bodies they'd had on Earth.

"But if _you're_ here, and I am here– I _must_ be dead." Miroku gasped when he released his father, who merely smiled at him gently. "I mean, you've been gone for eleven years*."

_"That is true, my son. I am no longer among the living. But _you_ still are. You are having–as the living call it–a 'near-death experience'. Your body still rests in the physical world, but your soul and spirit are here. However do not fear, for you _will_ return to Earth when this little 'experience' is over."_ His father comforted, laying a hand on his son's shoulder. _"And for the record, I'm not the only one who's here."_ he smirked, turning his son around to look in the opposite direction.

A breathtakingly beautiful woman walked toward them, her footsteps as gentle and graceful as a steady stream of water. Her floor-length gown was purest white, and looked like it had tiny diamonds sewn into the outer layer of the skirt portion. The bodice of her dress looked as if it were made from perfect snowflakes, which sparkled in a myriad of colors whenever she took a step forward. Her skin was as fair as Miroku's own complexion, and her eyes matched his exactly. Her long ebony hair cascaded down her back like an onyx waterfall, and her bangs reminded him a little of Kagome's. They grew the same way.

Miroku knew who she was instinctively the instant that he saw her, though _how_ he knew was a mystery to him. He'd never seen her before when she was alive, being a newborn when she died. But he knew her all the same. "Mother," he breathed, too stunned by her beauty to say anything else.

He didn't need to. His eyes spoke volumes. And so did hers. But she spoke anyway. _"My son, my beautiful baby. You've grown up. I am so proud of you. Words cannot describe how happy I am for you."_

"What do you mean, Mother?" Miroku asked, confused. He turned to his father, who suddenly had a twinkle of mischief in his eyes. _"You'll find out in time."_ was his only answer, and he just smiled and put a hand around his wife's shoulders when Miroku requested more of an explanation than that.

_"Well, well, well, monk. Interesting to find _you_ here, of all people."_ another familiar voice drawled, yet Miroku was not glad to hear this one. He spun around on his heel, and there in front of him stood a man with mocking blue eyes, pale skin, a black, ash-covered robe about his waist and inky black hair that looked almost oily.

"_Naraku_?!" he exclaimed, crouching into a battle-stance before he remembered that he didn't have his staff with him.

_"Onigumo, actually, but close enough."_ he grinned slyly, slightly enjoying watching Miroku slowly rise out of his battle-stance and stand straight and tall again, though still wary of his former arch-enemy. _"You're thinking, 'What is _he_ doing here? Someone like _him_ can't belong in Heaven!' Well, this isn't Heaven. It's the space between Heaven, Hell and Earth. Your parents came from upstairs to comfort and reassure you, and I popped in from downstairs to clear something up once and for all."_ Onigumo explained, leaving Miroku dumbfounded at the fact that the demon could apparently read his mind now. _"I was reading your face."_ he chuckled. _"It's easy to see the hatred and disdain in your eyes, and the eyes are the windows to the soul._ _But I didn't come here to talk about that._ _I'm assuming you've encountered a demon who calls herself Ukaran?"_

Miroku nodded before he could think, still stunned at the appearance of this demon, and not entirely sure he could trust him. After all, this being had tried to kill him and all of his friends on countless occasions.

_"Your distrust is understandable,"_ Onigumo laughed, _"but unnecessary. It's impossible to lie in this dimension. That is why I have come _here_ to tell you this. Ukaran was not–and never would have been in a million years–my mate. _Stalker_, yes, but not my mate. I cared for no one _that_ way, except maybe Kikyo for a while, and that wore off fairly quickly as soon as I disposed of my human heart. I admit that Ukaran's unique venom was formidable, but she and I never were anything more than two demons working toward a common goal. That is all. _She_ wanted _you_ dead, _I_ wanted _Inuyasha_ dead. It seems we both failed in our respective quests."_ the man scoffed bitterly, and Miroku cocked his head in confusion. However it was his father who answered him.

_"I killed off almost all of her kind in a battle years ago. Long before you were born. She was the only spider demon left with venom of that kind. More recently, since I was already dead, she went after the next closest thing. My son. After you and your friends defeated Naraku, she swore to kill all of you–not just her main target–for destroying her supposed 'mate'."_

Miroku nodded in comprehension, then gasped as Onigumo suddenly disappeared in a puff of crimson smoke and another familiar face walked out from behind it, though he knew for a fact that this man had died _long_ before he was born. It was his grandfather, Miyatsu.

_"I see you've been putting that staff of mine to good use. Nice job, kid."_ the aged monk laughed, clapping a hand on his grandson's shoulder. _"_And_ you've found yourself one heckuva bride. Congratulations, she's a real catch!"_

_"Father!"_ his son complained, not appreciating the fact that his father's infamous personality had clearly stayed with him even in the afterlife.

_"Ah, he knows it. No harm in restating the obvious."_ Miyatsu shrugged, still grinning like an idiot. Miroku gaped at his grandfather, but politely shut his mouth when the elder monk continued. _"_And_ you're the one who broke our family's curse! Fine job you've been doing so far, Miroku. A fine job indeed! And you'll only get better, trust me!"_

_"Dad,"_ his son interrupted again, but this time as a warning. _"Don't go giving too much away. No one should know too much about their own destiny. It's something we have to discover for ourselves."_ he stated, putting a protective hand on his own son's shoulder.

_"Just givin' the kid a little encouragement. Kami knows he needs it, after what he's been through."_ Miyatsu shrugged again, still smiling proudly at his grandson. Miroku couldn't believe it. Had Miyatsu–the legendary monk who'd slain 9,999 demons and been the most spiritual man of his day–really been so– _goofy_? _I guess that's where I get _my_ silly streak from. My grandfather._ he thought to himself.

_"Just tryin' to lighten the mood, kid. This place is as stiff and somber as a graveyard. Pardon the expression."_ Miyatsu laughed, and Miroku couldn't help but give a little snort of amusement of his own. His father shook his head exasperatedly at his father's way with words, then smiled as Miyatsu gave Miroku one last heartfelt hug as he disappeared back to Paradise.

_"He wasn't always like that. Just in his younger days, or so your grandmother told me. He grew more serious later on in life when he and Mom had me."_ Miroku's father explained when Miyatsu left, and Miroku nodded solemnly. That made a bit more sense.

…

Hours, _or maybe days?_ later [time doesn't exist in the gap between dimensions], Miroku bid a tearful farewell to his parents as they prepared to return to Heaven.

"Will I ever see you again?" Miroku asked his father as he began to fade from sight.

_"Definitely. When your time comes, hopefully a long time from now."_ his father answered as his wife nodded. _"But that doesn't matter, my son. We are always with you, wherever you go. In here,"_ she put her hand over his heart–which still wasn't beating–but Miroku understood the gesture all the same.

"I love you Father, Mother." Miroku sniffed sadly as he too began to fade from the space between worlds.

_"And we love you, Son. We always have, and we always will."_ they answered as they faded completely from sight.

"_G_o_o_d_b_y_e._"

* * *

><p><em>Groan. Sigh.<em> "Hey, is somebody down there?" a young boy called into the Bone-Eater's Well, and he received another groan for his answer. "Oh my gosh! Wait right there, I'll go get help!" Miroku heard the sound of retreating footsteps and the sliding of a wooden door in the distance, the sounds no doubt produced by his would-be rescuer.

_Where am I?_ he wondered for the second time that day, although he was pretty sure he was no longer having his 'near-death experience'. His surroundings were all shrouded in darkness–not pure white like before–and he was pretty sure he was at the bottom of a dry well, judging by the vague shape of his surroundings and the feel of the ground beneath him. Barely a minute later he heard the sound of a sliding door again, as well as the tap-tap of gentle feet on wood. Though he could make out three sets of footsteps this time.

"What is it, Sota? It's nearly time for bed. What did you hear down here?" a woman's voice asked, and the boy from earlier answered. "I heard a groan–a _human_ groan–from the bottom of the Well. I think somebody might've fallen down there. Could you shine the flashlight down there so we can see, Grandpa?"

"Sure Sota, but I'm sure you just imagined it." 'Grandpa' answered, and suddenly a bright beam of light shone on the monk from above, like a ray of sunlight, even though he knew the time was far past sunset.

"Oh my goodness, Sota! You were right! Someone _is_ down there!" the woman cried in shock, then she called, "Are you all right, young man?"

"I am." Miroku answered simply, and smiled in relief when he noticed that the group of people had thrown down a rope ladder to help him climb out of the well. He grabbed the end of it gratefully, then started to climb. He managed to climb out without any difficulties, then he sat on the rim of the well and looked up to thank his rescuers.

An old man–who he assumed to be Grandpa–was holding a short stick that was emitting a bright light. Miroku guessed that this object was the 'flashlight' that the boy–Sota–had mentioned. The woman–whose name he did not know–stood slightly behind the boy and had her hands over her mouth, as if covering up a gasp of shock that he had not heard.

"At first I thought you might have been my sister Kagome coming home. But then I realized your voice was too deep. What's your name?" Sota asked kindly, and Miroku smiled at him with a similar expression.

"My name is Miroku." he answered simply, not wanting to give too much away. He didn't know if he could trust these people, even though they had saved him just now. "Wait. Kagome? Kagome is your sister?" he gasped in surprise, not expecting this turn of events in the least.

"Yep. I'm Sota. This is my mom and my grandfather. We're keepers of the Higurashi Shrine, and we also bear its name. How do you know Kagome?" Sota answered, introducing the other two people in the building as Miroku nodded politely in greeting.

"She is one of my dearest friends, or more like a sister since I have no blood-siblings of my own." Miroku answered before he could think, putting a hand over his mouth when he knew he'd said too much.

"Wait a minute–" Sota considered to himself and out loud, and Miroku dropped his head. _Now_ he'd done it. The kid would figure it out for sure. "Your name is Miroku _and_ you're great friends with Kagome– you're one of her friends from the Feudal Era! Just like Inuyasha!" he exclaimed, too excited to do anything else but gape in wonder and awe at their new visitor.

"You know Inuyasha, too?" Miroku asked, then he mentally slapped his forehead. _Duh! Inuyasha has traveled to Kagome's time on many occasions. Of course they would know him!_

"Yup. But I've always wanted to meet the rest of her friends –I mean, you guys. I don't think it's very fair that only _Kagome_ can use the well as a two-way time machine." Sota complained a little, but then he grinned again. "What are we sitting around in the dark for? Let's go back to the house. You must be really tired."

"Now that you mention it," Miroku yawned suddenly. "I do feel quite– weak, all of– a– sudde–" he didn't even finish his sentence before he slumped forward and off the well wall, nearly falling on Sota when he lost consciousness.

"Oh my." Mama Higurashi said, taking one of the man's arms and trying to lift him to his feet. "Here Dad, Sota. Help me get him to the house. We can let him rest on the couch until he wakes up."

"Sure Mom." Sota agreed, opening the door to the shrine for the threesome as they carried their limp visitor out of the shrine and back to their house.

* * *

><p>"Huh." Inuyasha huffed as he sniffed around the Bone-Eater's Well. "I guess Sesshomaru was right, much as I hate to admit it. There <em>is<em> a weird smell around here, but it's not something I haven't smelled before." _Not that I can really smell it in the first place. There's too much ash everywhere._

Grandpa Higurashi's story of his ancestor had come true, in part. The forest that separated the Sacred Tree and the Bone-Eater's Well had completely burned down, leaving only those two landmarks standing, completely untouched. Miroku and Sango's unfinished house had burned down with it, not that they'd made that much progress on it. On the bright side, any and all traces of Ukaran had disintegrated in the conflagration. She had been the last of her particular kind of spider-demon, and no one would ever be hurt by her venom again.

"You're right. It _does_ smell familiar. But where have I encountered it?" Shippo asked himself as he too scented the area. "I remember the scent was very faint, but I definitely recognize it. And this one is clearly fresh, maybe a few hours old. Something weird is going on here." the kitsune's voice quavered as his little knees shook in apprehension.

"Got it!" Inuyasha cried, snapping his fingers when he remembered and surprising his small fox-demon friend. "It was in Tenshi no Toshi, the city of the angel-demons! That smell was all around us. I guess I got so used to it that I forgot about how unique it smelled." the hanyou grinned to himself sheepishly, scratching his head gently with his claws.

"Yeah, but this one is _still_ a little different. It's fresher and thus more potent than the centuries-old one that we both encountered in Tenshi no Toshi, but at the same time it's weaker. Almost diluted. What is that other scent that's mixed in with it?" Shippo asked, sniffing the area again and looking confused.

"Well Kirara's been here. I can smell her scent a little bit, but that's not the other odor we're trying to find." Inuyasha commented after another sniff. "What _is_ that?" he asked himself out loud, but too quiet for Shippo to hear. "It almost smells like– but that's impossible. He's gone."

"This sure is a mystery, huh Inuyasha?" Shippo asked, and the hanyou nodded, still looking depressed as he thought of the fate of one of his best friends. He thought back to when Kagome had told him about the effects that Ukaran's venom could have on the various members of their group, and Inuyasha had worried that he might end up having to kill his best friend himself. _At least the venom spared him that,_ Inuyasha thought grimly. _Although I don't know which is worse for me: knowing that Miroku is dead by _my_ hand, or him disappearing altogether, leaving no way for me to know where he went or if he's even still alive. –Poor Sango._

* * *

><p>At the moment 'poor Sango' was currently feeding her two infant daughters, while Kagome and Rin helped Kaede sew some cloth together to use as diapers. When she next returned to her own time, Kagome would bring some modern ones back for the babies as well as anything else a new mother might need for her newborns. She would have to ask her own mother about what they would need, as she was not quite as knowledgeable as her about this sort of thing.<p>

As Kagome put the new stitches into the fabric, she looked over at Sango to see how she was holding up. What met her eyes was more or less what she expected. The taijiya's mouth was turned up in a warm motherly smile, but her eyes brimmed and spilled over with tears of grief. Miroku was gone forever. Her beloved husband, fiercely-loyal companion and powerful comrade-in-arms had left this world for good, never to return. The only memory of himself that he'd left behind was his appearance, reflected in both of his beautiful daughters' faces. That and his staff, which Kirara had carried home from Kami-knew-where when Miroku had– passed on. The weapon and sacred article now stood in the corner of the hut, gleaming softly in the ray of sunlight that filtered through a small crack in the roof.

_Oh, Miroku._ Sango sobbed mentally. _Wherever you are, can you see us? Can you see the two beautiful gifts you've given me from wherever you are in Heaven? I hope you can. I know just what you'd say in this situation too,_ she laughed silently. _'I'll make sure that both you and our wonderful daughters are completely safe from any harm, Sango. I'll always be your guardian angel.'_ Her tears spilled over her eyelids again as this thought renewed the reality of the tragedy that they had suffered last night.

Tears still coursing down her cheeks, she remembered the hours they'd spent together in Mt. Hakurei, trapped by a horde of demons and Kagura on one side, the fear of the unknown on the other. They had tearfully confessed that they each could not live without the other. Well, _Sango_ had said that tearfully. Miroku was strong enough to keep his eyes dry. In fact, Sango couldn't remember if she'd ever seen Miroku shed tears. He was always so stoic. So brave. So– noble. Most of the time. When he wasn't making a fool of himself.

Sango chuckled through her tears as she remembered all the times that he'd tried to grope her, and sometimes succeeded. She'd always responded with a furious blush and a hard slap to his face–or if he was being particularly naughty, a bonk on the head with her Hiraikotsu. She smiled as she drifted off into her memory, back to a time when things seemed far less complicated.

–Flashback–

"Iron Reaver, Soul Stealer!" Kagome paced out, walking farther and farther ahead of Miroku and Sango in their little modified game of Janken, or 'Rock, Paper, Scissors'.

"Okay, ready to lose again?" Inuyasha gloated back with a smug grin on his face. "Can you hear us back there, Sango?" Kagome called, a smile also on her face and in her voice. She was really enjoying this game.

"Loud and clear!" the taijiya answered from her spot next to Miroku.

Miroku sighed again at the fact that he and Sango had once again lost the game, and his three other best friends moved farther on ahead while he was stuck all the way back here. "I _wish_ you would stop sighing all the time. It's more irritating than losing the game!" Sango commented to the monk. He looked up at her and replied, "We would've had another chance at a draw if only _you_ hadn't shown the same scissors hand I did." Then a realization dawned on him. _Then again,_ he thought, _maybe losing isn't so bad after all._ "Oh, I understand. You wanted to lose on purpose so you could stay behind the others with me!" he concluded in a hopeful tone, but there was a slight teasing tone in there somewhere as well. Surreptitiously his right hand inched toward her backside, intending to stroke its toned, muscular, yet soft shape. He was more than a little disappointed when Sango shifted, countering his would-be 'attack' with her Hiraikotsu.

"No such thing! We simply lost, and nothing else." Sango explained as her characteristic blush rose in her cheeks, though not enough to be seen by anyone. She could feel it, though. Miroku was at it again. The monk in question wore a pouting expression on his face as he wiggled his gauntleted hand back and forth, as if that little nudge from the Hiraikotsu had hurt him. She didn't bump him _that_ hard– Okay, maybe she did. But she didn't _mean_ to hit him with that much force. Well, maybe she'd meant it a _little_.

Miroku's hand seemed to have recovered, because he held it palm up and glared at it two seconds later. "The curse of this damn hand runs deeper than I expected!" he commented, trying to blame his lecherous tendencies on the curse of the Wind Tunnel. Actually that's probably why he'd used his right hand in the first place. All in an elaborate scheme to grope her backside and embarrass her again. Unfortunately for him, it didn't work. This time.

_It's your _personality_ that's cursed._ Sango had thought in response to his comment, glowering to herself at the monk's immature behavior.

–End Flashback–

_I was wrong back then._ Sango thought as her mind drifted back to the present. _It wasn't his personality that was cursed. His immature jokes and acting silly were just his way of dealing with all the stress. The Wind Tunnel was literally sucking away his life whenever he used it, little by little. It would grow in size every time he opened it, and thus shortened his life. He _knew_ this. The only way he knew to keep his sanity was to laugh it off, keep a sunny attitude. Acting like an idiot* was his defense mechanism. If he'd dwelt on his curse too much, he would've snapped long ago._ Sango realized.

Of course there was no excuse when he did it _now–_after the curse was broken–but Sango didn't really mind anymore when he did it to her. After all, they _were_ married now. Now that he'd found someone to 'bear his child', he'd stopped flirting with every single woman he came across. Just then Sango had a small epiphany. _You know what?_ she realized, grinning to herself. _After I'd been with the group a while, I bet he only did that flirting with other women to get a reaction out of me! He wanted me to be jealous! That rascal! Conniving, perverted prankster! If only he were still here I'd smack him again, just for teasing me all those months!_

* * *

><p>"Oh dear, Miroku. Are you ill?" Mrs. Higurashi asked kindly as Miroku suddenly sneezed, waking up from his makeshift 'bed' on the living room couch. He shook his head gently with a goofy grin on his face. "No. I am perfectly healthy. Some beauty somewhere must be talking about me."<p>

Grandpa Higurashi was in the adjoining room, studying a piece of the shrine's supposedly 'authentic' merchandise, and he sweatdropped at Miroku's comment. _That is as cliche as cliche gets._ Then he remembered what time their guest was from. _Actually, for _him_ it's probably not a cliche at all yet. For all I know, _he_ could've been the one that came up with that superstition!_

Mama Higurashi sweatdropped as well, but quickly cleared her expression when Miroku looked at her, an inquisitive expression on his features. _He's certainly very handsome. And I can tell that he has a good heart. Is this the young man who Kagome had told us that was cursed with something called a 'Wind Tunnel'? –He doesn't look cursed to me. _She shook her head to clear her thoughts, not wanting to pry into private business. After all, a curse wasn't something one just brought up. It was usually personal and–most of the time–painful to talk about. She'd read about some of the ancient curses that people and demons of the Feudal Era had put on others, and she shuddered. Almost all of them that she could remember were gruesome. She shook her head again, then looked back at Miroku, who was still studying her intently.

"Do you need something, Miroku? Can I get you a glass of water or something?" she asked kindly, a little uncomfortable with his staring. Miroku seemed to come out of a reverie, and blinked. "Huh? Oh, no thank you, Higurashi-san. I was just admiring how much you look like Kagome. Same eyes, same beautiful dark hair, same complexion. If I didn't know better, I'd think that you were sisters and not mother and daughter." he answered with a smile. A little harmless flattery never hurt anyone.

"Oh!" Mama Higurashi blushed, putting her hands to her face in a moment of bashfulness. "You're too kind, houshi-dono." She had remembered Kagome telling her that Miroku was a monk, so she used the proper title for one of his status. Quite a famous one, too.

…

"You know, you remind me of my son." Mama Higurashi stated suddenly, breaking the silence. "An older, taller Sota." she laughed, trying to imagine the scene. Miroku raised an eyebrow as he looked over at Kagome's younger brother, who was asleep on the other couch. He did indeed notice a resemblance between himself and the boy, and an unexpected thought entered his mind from out of the blue. _Could we be distant relatives? Could Kagome and her family actually be my and Sango's descendants? –Nah. That's too ridiculous, and way too much of a coincidence to be true._

"If I may be so bold, can I ask you how you got those scars on your face?" Mrs. Higurashi asked after Miroku didn't say anything about his apparent resemblance to her son. He looked up at her in confusion, then remembered what had happened before he'd found himself here. He chuckled a little and answered her question with a grin and a cryptic "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

* * *

><p><span>End of chapter (episode) 12<span>

Next chapter teaser: Revelations and Reborn

Okay. I have more than a few things to say about this chapter. First of all, I have absolutely _no_ idea what I'm talking about when it comes to pregnancy and childbirth, having never had the experience myself. But I'm told (by my own mom) that it is excruciatingly painful. I'm told a C-section is a little better, but they didn't have those back then, so it's a natural birth with twins. Ouch. Poor Sango!

Once again, I attempt to include 'Fluffy-sama' –Ahem, excuse me, _Lord Sesshomaru_, in this story. He wasn't very cooperative in the last few chapters I put him in, and I might have gotten him out of character. I hope I actually did his character justice this time. How do you guys (and girls) think I did?

*(1) This is assuming that Miroku was about seven years old when his father died, considering that he is eighteen when we first meet him.

*(2) If I wasn't a G-rated writer by habit, I would have had Sango call Miroku an 'a$$', not an 'idiot'. I generally like to keep profanity out of my stories. Or at least to a minimum. Oh, and the 'D' word? My rule doesn't count for actual quotes from the show.

And the author gets an 'F' for subtlety in this chapter. If you've read any of my other stories, I prefer to label the connections between people as genetic rather than reincarnation. (The three Legendary Knights, Seth and Atem, Yugi, Kaiba and Joey for example) And I've been hinting at the possibility of a familial connection between Miroku, Sango, and Kagome since chapter 3. –yeah. REAL subtle, you bad author, you! Tee-hee!

Boy, are these people in for a surprise next chapter! *grins evilly* And I'm not just talking about the Feudal Era gang either!

Sayonara!

Tsunami Storm


	13. Revelations and Reborn

Reborn, an Inuyasha fanfic by Tsunami Storm

Chapter 13: Revelations and Reborn

* * *

><p>Miroku was taking a short nap after the exquisite dinner Mrs. Higurashi had prepared for her family and guest, and was sleeping peacefully on the couch when the woman walked into the living room. She smiled. <em>He looks so much like my husband did–<em> she thought. _Except for those markings on his face and his dark blue eyes._ She silently walked over to him and knelt beside him, fondly smoothing his black hair out of his face.

Something about the young monk seemed off, though. She could tell that he was breathing, but something still did not seem right, like there was something missing. She surreptitiously checked his pulse at his wrist, and feeling nothing, checked it at his neck. She gasped.

"Houshi-sama!" she cried, shaking him. "Wake up! Please, wake up!" she pleaded.

Miroku's eyes snapped open and he gasped. "What? What's happening? What's wrong?" he looked around wildly, only to find a frightened Mrs. Higurashi. He calmed down once he saw that they were in no immediate danger. "Is something wrong, Higurashi-san?" he asked politely, slightly worried.

The woman just kept shaking her head back and forth in disbelief, staring shocked at the enigma before her. "Houshi-sama, why don't you have a heartbeat?! I just checked a minute ago, and it was silent!"

Miroku looked down, resigned. _So they figured it out._ Out loud he just sighed. Alerted by all the racket, Sota came dashing into the living room, gasping, "Is something wrong, Mom? Why'd you shout like that?"

Mrs. Higurashi couldn't answer her son, keeping her eyes on Miroku, wanting an explanation. "What's going on here? And I want the truth!" she demanded, frowning at the young man, who looked embarrassed for some reason.

"The truth?" Miroku repeated guiltily, not really needing a confirmation, but hoping to stall the woman. He hesitated. "I'm– an– angel."

Mrs. Higurashi just gaped at the young man, while Sota just snorted. "Come on, somebody's playing a trick." he interjected, not believing it.

Suddenly Miroku grinned mischievously. "Okay, okay. If I'm _not_ an angel, how can I do this?" He unraveled part of the robes on his back so they exposed his shoulder blades, and led the family outside into the warm night air of summer. Just as Sota was about to ask what was going on, Miroku took in a deep breath and shut his eyes tight, folding his arms in on himself.

Two huge, white somethings suddenly erupted out of his back in a burst of white– _were those feathers?_ They extended straight up–flinging snow-white plumage everywhere–before folding back in on themselves. Surprisingly there was no blood, just a whirlwind of pure white feathers that slowly floated to the ground. [Just like Satoshi Hiwatari/Hikari's transformation into Krad in episode 13 of DNAngel.]

"Oh my gosh." Sota gasped, not believing his eyes. "They're wings–"

Miroku raised his head and opened his eyes, smiling gently at the dumbstruck family.

"You really _are_ an angel," the boy breathed after a long moment, still awestruck.

"H-how?" Mrs. Higurashi whispered as she stared at the being before her.

Miroku smiled wider, then shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know." He tied his robes around his wings so that they were mostly hidden from view and folded his arms. "You asked me yesterday about these markings on my face. I said that you'd never believe me if I told you."

The family nodded, waiting for the enigmatic young man– no, _angel_ to continue.

"But now I can see that you have a rather large capacity for weird." he continued. Then he chuckled. "After all, a normal high-school student can't travel back and forth in time through an old dry well."

"True." Sota smiled, thinking of his big sister.

Miroku sighed. "I don't wish to alarm you, and I would _never_ harm the innocent, but these markings on my face– are the marks of a demon."

The family of three gasped as one, and Mrs. Higurashi instinctively put her arms around her son in a protective stance.

"Hear me out!" Miroku backpedaled, putting his hands up. "Long ago_–way_ before I was born–there existed a race of peaceful demons known as the Tenshioni. They appeared as angels, but bore marks of a demon on their faces. They were renowned for their skills in metalworking and archery, and even developed a unique written dialect. I'm sure you've heard about them."

Grandpa nodded, recalling Inuyasha telling them about this story months ago.

"Getting back to my story," Miroku continued. "there was a demon spider that called herself Ukaran. Her venom was like nothing we had ever seen before. According to some of the tests that Kagome's friend's father conducted, it reacted differently to every cell sample that came into contact with it. It can change the cells of a human male into those of a demon. Among other things." he muttered, not wanting to go into too much detail, as it would probably frighten them more.

"What are you saying? That you were infected with this venom and it turned you into this?" Sota asked incredulously. Miroku looked at him and nodded solemnly, untying his robes again, this time exposing his chest. In the center of his torso–just below the tip of the sternum–was a large crimson scar about the size of a man's hand.

"It was just coincidence that I became a Tenshioni." Miroku told them. "I could just as easily have been transformed into a monster." _Kami-sama, thank you for watching over me,_ he smiled up at the heavens, wordless gratitude in his eyes.

Something about Miroku's story sparked a memory in Grandpa's mind, and he suddenly stood up straighter and started walking toward the shed, his daughter-in-law and grandson watching him in confusion. "Follow me, everybody. I want to try something. You too, Miroku." _If this doesn't work, I don't know _what_ will,_ he added to himself.

He led the way to the back of the empty shed, stopping in front of a curious wooden cabinet. The same one that Inuyasha had tried to open months ago, but hadn't succeeded.

"This cabinet has confounded my ancestors for generations. I tried asking Inuyasha to open it, but he couldn't as there is some kind of sacred barrier around it. I'm pretty sure that this note is instructions on how to open it, but Inuyasha said that it's written in the language of the Tenshioni and he couldn't figure it out. I thought since you _are_ a Tenshioni, maybe _you_ could figure out a way to open it." Grandpa suggested, and Miroku nodded. "I can certainly try."

Approaching the cabinet, Miroku inspected the note carefully. _'Only a caged bird at sunset may my seal break.'_ _Hm. This brushwork looks exceedingly similar to my own, and these old sutras look just like the ones I use. Is it possible that–?_ he trailed off, shaking his head. That was too ridiculous. _But that doesn't make any sense. No bird could break a seal, much less a caged one. And what is the significance of the sunset? Is it saying that the seal may only be broken at sunset, or is it describing the bird, 'a caged bird at sunset'? –wait a second. _Sunset_?_ Miroku turned to Kagome's family. "Is your surname 'Higurashi' for a reason?"

Grandpa smiled. "I'm glad you asked, young man. The Higurashi Shrine was built long ago by my ancestor–whose name was lost–and he finished his task at sunset, thus dubbing his home 'Higurashi'. His descendants eventually adopted it as their surname, _our_ surname."

Miroku slapped himself on the forehead. "Of course! That children's game! _Now_ I know what this note means! 'Only a caged bird at sunset may my seal break.'! The 'caged bird at sunset' is Kagome! Kagome Higurashi! Only _she_ can open this strange bureau!"

"But Sis is still back in the Feudal Era with Inuyasha and the others." Sota put in. "How're we gonna get her to come back home?"

"I guess we'll just have to wait." Miroku sighed, folding his arms. Then he grinned. "Wait until she gets into another argument with Inuyasha and comes home." he snickered and the others giggled as well, remembering how easily the half-demon could get Kagome mad at him.

* * *

><p>"Okay everyone. I'll be back tomorrow. See ya!" Kagome waved as she prepared to jump through the Bone-Eater's Well.<p>

"Good luck, Kagome!" Sango called, holding her two newborn daughters in her arms. Shippo waved to his best friend from beside the young mother. Inuyasha grinned. "I'll make sure she comes back safely. Count on it." Then he and his girlfriend jumped through the time-portal and down the time-stream.

"You know, it's pretty amazing that the Well still works." Shippo mused after the two left. Sango looked at him. "I mean the Sacred Jewel is gone forever. How can Kagome still travel through time?"

The taijiya's eyebrows disappeared into her bangs. "You're right, Shippo. That _is_ a mystery." She cupped her chin. "I wonder how she does it?" she asked herself.

"And now that I think about it, there was one time that Kagome went home and she didn't have any of the jewel shards with her." Shippo recalled. "How'd she do that?"

Sango shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine."

* * *

><p>"Tadaima(1)!" a young female voice called from the Well shrine, and Miroku suddenly tensed, looking worried. <em>What if Kagome sees me here? I don't belong in this time. I'd better hide myself, and my– dare I say it–<em>demonic_ aura,_ he shuddered, repulsed. _Hopefully my presence will go unnoticed–_ he thought to himself as he slipped into the living room.

"Hey, somethin' smells great!" Inuyasha sniffed appreciatively. "Did you guys eat yet?"

Mrs. Higurashi laughed. "No, we were just about to though. Why don't you join us, Inuyasha? There's plenty for everyone."

"Don't mind if I do!" a very excited hanyou replied, grinning widely. Then he remembered his manners. "Thanks, Higurashi-san." he bowed quickly.

…

After a delicious meal, the Higurashi family plus Inuyasha went outside to the old shed again to open the sealed cabinet now that they knew how. Behind them, an invisible Miroku followed at a distance. He too was curious about the contents of the wardrobe, but he didn't want Inuyasha to sense him.

"You figured out how to open it, Grandpa?" Kagome asked, surprised.

"You _could_ say that," Sota interjected, "Or you could say that an _angel_ came to us from our dry Well and said that only _you_ can open it, Sis." he said excitedly.

Miroku dropped his head in defeat. _There goes my cover._

But just as he'd given up hope, Kagome chuckled and ruffled her brother's hair. "Oh Sota." she laughed. "You and your wild imagination." She inspected the characters of the note in interest before grasping both handles and opening the double doors, carefully and gently so as not to jostle anything inside. What she saw made her gasp, Inuyasha to start and jerk back in surprise, and behind them, Miroku's jaw to drop open in shock. For laying against the back of the bureau were Miroku's shakujou, Sango's Hiraikotsu, Shippo's 'Smashing Top', and the longbow and quiver Inuyasha had found in Tenshi no Toshi.

This sight swept away any remaining doubts. _So it's true,_ Miroku smiled to himself. _Kagome is our distant descendant. Mine and Sango's. Kami-sama, your designs are truly a mystery._

Meanwhile Kagome was also speechless. _Does this mean that Miroku and Sango really _are_ my ancestors?!_ She swayed a little on her feet, completely blown away by this revelation. Then something her grandfather had said occurred to her. She turned to her boyfriend. "Inuyasha, do you realize what this means?! Remember when Gramps told us about the mystery of the Higurashi Shrine? If all the pieces match up, as impossible as it is to believe, then Miroku–_our_ Miroku–builds this shrine and becomes its first priest after his and Sango's third child is born. Don't you see it?!" she cried, joyful tears in her brown eyes.

Inuyasha looked more confused than ever. Kagome went on, still ecstatic. "It means that Miroku's _alive_! I don't know how it happened or where he is, but he's alive!" she hugged Inuyasha as tightly as she could. "I gotta tell Sango! And Shippo!" She ran to the Well, just missing Miroku as he barely managed to dodge and hide himself from view. But for once Inuyasha wasn't right behind her. He was actually thinking of the reason why they journeyed to the future in the first place. Not to mention he was still frozen with shock.

"Umm– Higurashi-san?" Inuyasha began after recovering, not exactly sure how to voice his question.

"Yes Inuyasha?" came the gentle reply, subtly giving the boy the courage to ask.

"You– uh– wouldn't happen to have a few packs of–" _What'd Kagome call 'em?_ "–diapers, would ya? It's for our friend Sango. She had twin girls." he added quickly to emphasize that it was not _he_ that needed them.

Mama Higurashi laughed. "I'm afraid I don't, Inuyasha, but you'll probably find some at a convenience store in town. I'm going shopping tomorrow anyway. Why don't you come along, and you can get whatever other items you or your friends might need." she invited, and the white-haired boy nodded.

"Sure."

…

Meanwhile Kagome was just climbing into the Well to go back in time. She wondered for a moment why Inuyasha wasn't right behind her, but then shook her head. _He's probably talking to Mom about something. Besides, he can get through the Well without me._ Then she jumped in.

Behind her, an unseen companion followed her in, taking great care not to make any noise or do anything that could give him away. He silently landed at the bottom of the Well right after Kagome did and politely averted his eyes when she started climbing up. Now _normally_ he'd never miss a chance to peek at a beautiful woman's backside–especially since he was such a pervert–but this was _Kagome_. She was practically his _daughter_! And that would be just plain wrong. So he looked away.

After he was absolutely sure that Kagome had left the area and no one else was around, Miroku re-tied his robes around his waist and jumped out of the Well, using his wings to give himself an extra boost. Gaining altitude fast, he shot up into the night sky like an arrow, going higher than he ever had with Hachi or Kirara.

_This is amazing!_ Miroku shouted mentally as he wheeled about, performing complex aerial maneuvers nearly effortlessly. _I guess the Tenshioni were masters of the sky as well._ He let all of his cares melt away into the night air as he flew, reveling in the pure joy and exhilaration of flight, even allowing himself to laugh a little.

However, the young angel was not alone for long. A large cloud obscured part of the moon's light, and running atop it was a gigantic dog-demon, marked with a blue crescent moon in the center of his forehead and two red marks that looked like gashes on either side of his face. The dog demon abandoned the cloud and jumped to the earth, growling defensively at the unfamiliar demon as he also descended slowly to the ground. He was a bit surprised when the angel knelt down on one knee in front of him and bowed his head in respect, though. That was something he had not expected.

The dog-demon returned to its human-like appearance and studied the other demon closely. Strangely he felt somehow familiar, though Sesshomaru knew he'd never smelled his scent before. He'd encountered something similar before–on a hunting trip with his father when he was very young–but this being smelled of humans as well.

The angel looked up then, and Sesshomaru received another shock when he recognized the demon's face.

"You are the young monk who once possessed the Wind Tunnel, are you not?" Sesshomaru inquired of the young angel, and Miroku nodded. "I am." Sensing the obligatory follow-up question, he said simply, "It's a long story."

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed and he sniffed, half in disappointment and half in disinterest. "I came to this area prepared for a worthy battle–as the aura I sensed was the strongest I'd felt in _decades_–only to find it was just one of Inuyasha's _friends_." He spat the last word, revealing his intense disgust for his half-brother and his distaste of the company he'd chosen to keep. Well, he didn't really mind the cat-demon and the fox-child, but his dislike of humans was deep-rooted and well-established. His father had _died_ at the hands of a human, after all. [According to Movie 3, anyway]

_Sorry to disappoint you._ Miroku thought snarkily, but said nothing. After a minute though, the dog-demon commented, "It seems you are to be congratulated, monk. Your mate has borne two healthy twin girls and remains healthy herself. More or less." he finished.

Miroku looked up, surprised that _Sesshomaru_ would be the one to give him the news. "What do you mean, 'more or less'? She's not wounded is she?" he asked, worried for the woman he loved.

The demon-lord sniffed. "Not physically. She continues to mourn your passing, as everyone here thought you'd perished in the final confrontation with Ukaran."

Comprehension dawned on the young angel, and he smiled softly. "Maybe it's time to dispel those fears–" He bowed in thanks and respect to Sesshomaru, who just sniffed again and flew up above the clouds without so much as a 'Farewell'.

* * *

><p><em>"Sango,"<em> a warm voice whispered in the night wind, gently rousing the new mother from sleep. She glanced at her new 'wristwatch' that Kagome had given her just yesterday for Christmas, and found that it was just an hour before the sun would rise. She shook her head and tried to fall asleep again, but the voice returned, just as gentle as before.

_"Sango,"_ the voice whispered again, this time sounding more like a call.

"Mmnh– what?" the sleepy taijiya answered irritably.

The voice seemed amused. _"Come to the summit of the first mountain you set eyes on. I'll be waiting for you."_ it instructed, and Sango–in a dream-like trance–silently obeyed, but not before donning her demonslayer's outfit and grabbing her Hiraikotsu. She may be hallucinating, but she wasn't naive.

…

It took her nearly half an hour to climb the first mountain she spotted about ¾ of the way, but what she spotted at the top was the most beautiful and shocking thing she'd ever seen. The light of the pre-dawn sky only added to the moment's surrealism. For standing at the summit of the mountain was an _angel_. And not just _any_ angel–

"Mir-_Miroku_?" Sango gasped, hardly daring to believe her sense of sight.

The angel smiled gently. "It's me, Sango." he answered. "I'm here."

Sango couldn't stop gaping like a fish. "I didn't believe Kagome when she told me and Shippo this last night. I–I couldn't. I thought you were dead!" Then a realization dawned on her. "Are you an angel?"

Miroku laughed softly once. "Have you ever heard of the Tenshioni?" slightly altering the topic of discussion.

Sango gasped again. "My grandfather told me about them when I was very young. They were a race of peaceful, winged demons."

Miroku nodded once, a soft smile on his face once again. "And do you remember what Kagome said, about the effect that Ukaran's venom had on human males?"

Comprehension flooded Sango's face, and she climbed up the rest of the way to stand on the same level as her husband. Love shining in her chocolate-brown eyes, she breathed, "So you _are_ an angel. _My_ angel."

**Sango:** _"I will always be with you.  
>Makes no difference where<br>Your road takes you to.  
>Even if we're apart,<br>Now we're joined at the heart,  
>Though our moment may be gone.<br>You and I will still live on."_

**Miroku:** _"I will always be with you.  
>I'll be by your side whatever you do.<br>Other memories may fade,  
>But the ones that we made<br>Are eternal as a star.  
>Now I'm part of who you are."<em>

**Both:** _"And I'll be there with you  
>In the sound of your laughter.<br>I'll be in the tears you cry."_

**Miroku:** _"'Cause the way you and I  
>Have touched one another,"<em>

**Both:** _"Doesn't end with goodbye."_

–Instrumental Break–

**Miroku:** _"I will always be with you,"_  
><strong>Both:<strong> _"Like a guardian angel, constant and true."_  
><strong>Sango:<strong> _"When you're lost in the night,"_  
><strong>Miroku:<strong> _"Lost in the night."_  
><strong>Sango:<strong> _"And you can't see the light,"_  
><strong>Miroku:<strong> _"Can't see the light."_  
><strong>Both:<strong> _"My love will see you through."_  
><strong>Miroku:<strong> _"I will always be there."_  
><strong>Sango:<strong> _"You have me there."_  
><strong>Both:<strong> _"I will always be with you…"_

The two lovers–taijiya and Tenshioni–kissed just as the morning dawned, casting the first rays of sunshine over the land, painting unforgettable pictures.

Sango and Miroku didn't notice.

* * *

><p><span>End of chapter (episode) 13<span>

Next chapter teaser: Two Worlds, One Family

_Finally!_ I've been waiting to write this chapter for_ever_! Although it _is_ really sappy. Oh well. I kinda like sappiness once in a while.

Like I said in an earlier chapter, I have no idea what Kagome and Sota's father looked like, so I just made him look like Miroku with brown eyes and no ponytail. You're free to come to your own conclusions.

I took a few lines from 'All Dogs Go To Heaven 2', as well as one of the songs. All credit goes to the creators of those wonderful movies. I'm just borrowing again.

I don't remember which episode it was, but there was an instance where Kagome was able to go home without having any jewel shards. I wonder how that happened? You'll find out in a later chapter! (Possibly the next one)

I know Miroku has groped Kagome before, but that was before he knew. I highly doubt he'll do it again. XD He's not _that_ bad. (At least I certainly _hope_ not!)

And I'm pretty sure I got Sesshomaru-sama out of character again. He's just so complicated!

I actually have a picture in mind for the last scene. It's 'blingee: Sango's guardian angel' by 'Sango1994' on Deviantart. I tried to copy it myself on my own account, but needless to say I failed miserably. All credit for the drawing goes to him/her.

Translations (for those who need it):

**Tadaima **– I'm home! (Something like that)

Tsunami Storm


	14. Two Worlds, One Family

Reborn, an Inuyasha fanfic by Tsunami Storm

Chapter 14: Two Worlds, One Family

* * *

><p>"So your friend Sango is a new mother. Tell her congratulations for me." Mrs. Higurashi smiled as she walked through the aisles with a shopping cart, Inuyasha right behind her. "Sure thing." he answered distractedly, preoccupied with all the merchandise on the shelves.<p>

"Do the children have names yet?" she asked as she examined a frying pan a while later. The hanyou shook his head. "No. Sango hasn't gotten around to naming 'em yet, and she and Miroku hadn't come up with any good names before he– um, disappeared." Inuyasha looked down, suddenly depressed. He still had no idea what had happened to his best friend–indeed, the man he considered his human brother–and he missed him, though he'd never admit to it out loud.

"I'm so sorry for her loss." Mrs. Higurashi answered, looking at Inuyasha. "She must be devastated, to lose one so close so soon. Are _you_ doing okay?" she asked in concern, but the boy didn't answer, just pulled his cap down to hide his eyes.

"He was like a _brother_ to me." Inuyasha breathed after a minute, his voice thick with emotion and unshed tears. "Well, a brother I actually _like_, anyway." he corrected with a weak chuckle, thinking about Sesshomaru briefly. Then he shook his head. "No sense in crying about the past. There's nothin' we can do about it. Just gotta keep moving on." he huffed, walking ahead of Kagome's mom and tossing some seed packages into the cart for the garden that Kohaku had suggested they plant. He didn't believe Kagome's theory that Miroku was somehow alive. It was impossible. Well, he hadn't actually seen him _die_, but– _normal_ people didn't come back from a 'death' like that.

_You can't fool me, Inuyasha._ Mrs. Higurashi thought. _You're hurting too. One of your closest friends is gone forever, or so you think. Maybe you guys need a visit from a certain angel._ she thought to herself.

Little did she know that Miroku was planning on it.

* * *

><p>"Miroku!" Kagome cried, tackling the angel in a bear-hug. "I <em>knew<em> you weren't dead! I _knew_ it!" she laughed tearfully, immeasurably overjoyed to see her big brother again.

"_Miroku_!" Shippo echoed, jumping into his arms and rubbing his face in the man's familiar purple robes, robes that were still torn and charred from the battle. "You're alive! I missed you so much!" Beside him, Kirara rubbed her head affectionately against his side, in her battle form and purring loudly.

The young angel laughed. "I missed you too, Shippo. I've missed all of you. The thought of never seeing you again– I couldn't bear it. I cannot live without my heart, which I left with all of you." he smiled, his dark-blue eyes getting a little watery.

"Your heart?" Shippo asked, putting an ear to the monk's chest. Miroku laughed again. "I didn't mean my literal, physical _heart_. That's just a figure of speech." he explained, setting the boy back on the ground. Shippo looked up at him in confusion. He hadn't detected a heartbeat in the monk's chest, and yet his friend was breathing and warm. Something wasn't right here.

"What happened to you, Miroku?" Kagome asked–no, _demanded_. "I wanna hear _everything_, from the final battle with Ukaran onward. Don't leave out a _single_ detail!"

Miroku chuckled once, then looked to the Bone-Eater's Well behind him. "Maybe we should wait until Inuyasha comes back. I don't really want to explain myself twice." he suggested, just before his stomach growled. He chuckled again. "Well, there's some more proof that I am among the living. Ghosts don't get hungry or need to eat."

Everyone giggled at that, then the foursome walked down to Kaede's village from the burned forest.

* * *

><p>"Sango?" Miroku asked, poking his head in through the reed door to Kaede's house. He smiled warmly when his wife looked up joyfully, holding their twin girls in her arms. He walked in silently so as not to disturb them, then sat beside the new mother and put his arm around her shoulder, giving her a gentle side-hug.<p>

"Miroku, they're so beautiful." she breathed, and the angel nodded, his blue eyes shining with wonder. As gently as he possibly could, he placed a hand on one of his daughter's heads, brushing her feathery-soft tufts of hair affectionately.

"Indeed they are." he whispered back. "Just like their mother." he complimented, smiling lovingly at his life partner. "Such wonderful gifts from heaven deserve fitting names." he suggested, though at the moment he couldn't think of any.

The angel's words sparked an idea in the taijiya's mind. "What about 'Tsuki'(1) and 'Hoshiko'(2)? Tsuki will be our firstborn, the little lady in my right arm." Sango suggested, and the angel's eyes lit up.

"'Moon' and 'Star-child'. I think those are perfect names for them. Heavenly names for heavenly gifts from the stars." he answered, love shining brightly in his eyes.

At that moment Inuyasha flounced in, carrying several stuffed bags of various supplies. "I got some new 'supplies' for yer home, Sang–" he began, but broke off when he spotted Miroku, his mouth dropping open.

"Bakana(3)–" the hanyou whispered, staring at what must be the ghost of his departed friend. The specter smiled. "Good to see you, Inuyasha. You got all of Ukaran's venom out of your system, then?" he asked, and the white-haired boy shook his head vigorously. "Huh? Oh– yeah. Kagome did the same thing for me as you did for that kid in the one village with the spiderhead problem." Inuyasha answered, still thunderstruck. "I don't understand. We all thought you _died_. How are you _here_?" he demanded, and Miroku shifted uncomfortably.

"Well, you're partially right Inuyasha," he explained, rubbing the back of his neck. "I kinda did– die. Although, Father called it a 'near-death experience'." By this time all the members of the 'family' had gathered in Kaede's hut to hear Miroku's story.

"You saw your father?" Kagome gasped, and Miroku smiled softly. "And my mother and my grandfather Miyatsu." He chuckled suddenly. "I even saw _Onigumo_ for a bit, but he only told me that Ukaran wasn't ever his mate, just an admittedly formidable ally and stalker." Everyone snickered at this last part, and Miroku continued. "When I woke up, I was on the other side of the Bone-Eater's Well." He smiled warmly at his distant descendant. "You have a wonderful family, Kagome."

Now Kagome's jaw dropped open. "You– _what_?! Then– Sota's story about an _angel_ translating that seal on the cabinet–"

"Yep. That was me." Miroku grinned. "I was also able to see the _contents_ of said bureau." he added, giving Kagome a fatherly smile.

Kagome beamed at him when she realized what he meant. "I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it myself. I can't believe two of my dearest friends are really my _ancestors_." she laughed.

Now everyone else's jaws dropped save Miroku and Inuyasha, who already knew. "Are ye serious, Kagome? The monk and demonslayer are ancestors of ye and your brother?" Kaede breathed.

Kagome nodded. "Mom has an old picture of our father before he died, before Sota was born. He looks _exactly_ like Miroku, except with brown eyes like mine. Maybe that's why I felt such a strong connection with you when we first met, Miroku. You reminded me of my father."

"Now that I think about it, he _does_ look like an older version of Sota." Inuyasha commented, his ear twitching, trying to figure out what sound was missing. "Hang on," he growled, confused. " I can only hear _nine_ heartbeats in this room including mine, but there's _ten_ people. Whose is missing?"

Miroku looked down. "Mine. I haven't had a heartbeat since the end of the battle with Ukaran. I can't explain it. Guess I should be worried, huh?" he joked, attempting to cut through the shock in the room with a bit of humor.

Just then Shippo started chuckling, and soon Inuyasha joined in. Even Kirara looked amused.

"You'll get used to that." Inuyasha told him when the laughter subsided. "See, _demon_ hearts don't beat in the conventional 'human' sense." He grinned at Miroku. "Thought everybody knew that." he teased.

Miroku scowled, though he wasn't angry with his friend. He was just playing along. "Well, _excuse_ _me_ if I don't have much experience with being a _demon_."

Everyone laughed at that, then Rin asked, "Ano(4), Miroku-sama? If you're an angel now, where are your wings?"

Miroku smiled at her. "I can show you at the Bone-Eater's Well. It's a little crowded in here. They're quite large, and I don't want to smack anybody in the face with them."

Shippo and Kohaku giggled. They'd seen how big a Tenshioni's wings could get from the statue of their king in Tenshi no Toshi. Everyone followed the young angel to the structure in the clearing, then waited as Miroku untied the upper part of his robes, retying them around his waist. Most of the group gasped when they saw his scar, still an angry red. He smiled and shrugged, then folded his arms across his chest and bent over, closing his eyes and concentrating.

Suddenly the air was filled with thousands of snow-white feathers–which eventually scattered to the wind–and two enormous wings erupted out of Miroku's back. Without warning, he shot up into the sky like a rocket, wheeling around and performing complex aerial maneuvers like a true master of the skies.

"Wow." breathed a wide-eyed Shippo. "I've never seen anyone fly with such grace like that. How'd he learn how to do that so quickly?"

"It's mostly instinct, if you can believe it." Miroku called from 50 feet above them. "The Tenshioni were born to fly, just as they were masters of time. Though I haven't quite figured that one out yet." he laughed, wheeling around. As he flew, everyone had a sudden urge to join him in the sky, and Kirara and Shippo transformed, carrying the friends up to where Miroku was hovering.

The young angel flew over to Sango, holding out his hands for hers. The woman smiled, taking his offer and letting him lift her off Kirara, putting her feet on top of his. They flew slowly in gentle patterns and twists, their movements as smooth and steady as flowing water.

"It's like they're dancing together." Kagome breathed, her eyes shining with wonder. "Yeah. They're dancing in the air." Inuyasha echoed, a gentle smile on his face. For the two lovers, the rest of the world seemed to disappear. Nothing else existed but those two, dancing to a song of love that only they could hear.

As the sun began to set, Inuyasha and the others made their way back to Kaede's hut, as they would need all their strength on the morrow to rebuild Miroku and Sango's house, which had unfortunately burned to the ground. The Tenshioni landed silently behind them, setting his wife down as gently as he could. As soon as her feet touched the ground, Sango looked up into Miroku's eyes and gave him a short sweet kiss, which he returned. Then they caught up to their friends.

"You know, I've been thinking." Miroku commented, and everyone looked at him. "Now that we know that Kagome is our descendant and that she lives on a shrine in her time, maybe we should set it up here where the Forest of Inuyasha was, between the Sacred Tree and the Bone-Eater's Well." he suggested, and everyone agreed, especially Kagome.

"If you'd like, I could bring back the blueprints– er, plans for the shrine from my time. I'm sure Gramps has them stored _somewhere_." the girl offered, and Miroku smiled at her. "That would be wonderful, Kagome." he answered gratefully.

Sango put a comradely arm around Kagome's shoulder. "I always knew I'd felt a bond with you, Kagome. You've been like a sister to me, and now I find you're my great-something granddaughter!" she laughed. "It's kinda nice to know that my and Miroku's line will still be around five-hundred years from now."

"Yeah." Kagome answered, still reeling from the revelation. _Kami-sama, your designs are truly a mystery._ she thought to herself, unconsciously quoting one of Miroku's thoughts from his experience in the future.

* * *

><p>Over the course of the next few days, the 'family' worked very hard to turn the burned forest into a magnificent shrine, one that would stand the test of time and the elements. Sango's spring was turned into a pond and fountain thanks to some clever landscaping work by Inuyasha, and contained a finely-carved 'deer-scare' device from Kohaku, who was good at that sort of thing. Rin and Shippo helped to plant the garden, and Miroku, Sango, Inuyasha, Kagome and Kirara worked on building the structures, with a lot of help from the villagers.<p>

One evening after a long day of physical labor, Kagome entered the main part of the shrine to find Miroku meditating peacefully in the center of the room. Not wanting to bother him, Kagome turned to tiptoe away, but stopped when a gentle command reached her. "Don't go." Miroku asked without opening his eyes.

"I don't wanna disturb you." Kagome said, not moving from her position.

"Your presence is soothing." Miroku sighed, his eyes still closed. "Why don't you join me? You could probably use a break. Come. Relax and meditate your cares away."

Kagome smiled. "I guess a _little_ rest wouldn't hurt." she sighed, sitting down and crossing her legs, facing Miroku.

"Clear your mind and focus on something simple, like the gentle stream of water from Sango's fountain outside. Let that _one_ sound become your whole world. Deep, calm breaths, a steady heartbeat, and that one sound should be _all_ you're thinking about." he instructed. Kagome wordlessly obeyed, and Miroku could see the tension and stress leaving her shoulders as heat rises from a fire, when he cracked an eye open to see how she was doing.

"Very good. Let all your pent-up tension flow away from you like a river." he continued, and Kagome sighed with relief. "You're really good at this, Miroku. Thank you."

He smiled, eyes closed again. "I learned many things from master Mushin and my father. I owe them both a lot." he stated, the smile on his face both softening and spreading wider.

Miroku exhaled slowly, calming himself and accepting what had happened to him. _At least I'm alive. That's something to be happy about._ he thought as he reflected. _We can't change the past. All we can do is try to influence things now and better our future._

All of a sudden the angel's entire form began to feel warmer, and he found that he was glowing with a bright white aura. He looked at Kagome, but her eyes were still closed, oblivious to what was happening. With a gasp, Miroku's spirit suddenly left his body behind and disappeared into thin air.

After what seemed to him a moment–but was actually months up the time-stream–Miroku found himself in a dark library, the torches on the walls all unlit. He could tell that a soft light was streaming through the windows, but it wasn't nearly enough to brighten the whole structure. His spirit hovered in the air for a few minutes, then alighted gently on the banister that bordered the second floor. He looked around in interest, studying some of the busts and statues of important members of the Tenshioni. He was busy comparing the markings on their faces to his own, so he jumped a little when he heard the creak of old wood under pressure.

_"Kagome?"_ he breathed in shock. Sure enough, the young miko was carefully climbing the stairs to the second floor, wisely staying close to the wall. _I thought for sure I left her in the Great Room of the shrine– she must have followed me somehow._ he mused. _She doesn't seem to see me._ Then a realization came to him. _Is this the _past_? Have I stepped back in time?_ He watched his friend closely as she looked at one of the shelves, trying to reach the solitary scroll there. She took off her shoes and socks, fitting her small feet easily into the narrow cubbyholes.

Miroku smiled as the girl climbed the shelf like a monkey, pulled out the scroll and tied it into her bandanna. _I hope that shelf she's standing on doesn't break. She could really hurt herself if she fell from that height._

Unfortunately that was exactly what happened. Kagome stepped down one level, and the stone slab under her shattered, causing her to lose her balance. She screamed and Miroku jumped into action, not knowing exactly what he could do to help, as he was a spirit here. He flew as fast as he possibly could over to the girl, shouting, _"Look out!"_ and grabbing her ankle reflexively. To his great surprise, he could actually touch her, and he lowered her gently to the ground. The scroll had fallen free of her bandanna and was lying a few feet away in a heap. Miroku carefully re-rolled the scroll, then retrieved the girl's shoes from the second level and set them beside her, laying the scroll gently on top of them. Then girl, her belongings and Miroku faded from the ancient library.

When the angel's senses returned to him, he saw that his surroundings had changed completely. He was in the remains of a dilapidated house, and three familiar faces stood before him, though it seemed _they_ couldn't see him either.

_"Kohaku? Shippo? Kirara?"_ he asked, but then wheeled about as he heard the clicking and hissing of spiders. He readied his staff for battle before he remembered he was merely a spirit. No one could see or hear him. Kohaku whispered something to Shippo, who then cried, "Fox Fire!" flinging turquoise flames at the hordes and putting a barrier around himself and his friends, unknowingly protecting Miroku as well, though he didn't really need it. _"Nice one, Shippo!"_ he praised, smiling proudly at the kitsune.

A crackling noise above them made all four friends look up, and Miroku sighed. _"_Now_ what?"_ A flaming beam was hanging by a sliver over their heads and would fall any second. But the boys and Kirara were still surrounded by the spider hordes and a wall of flames. They were trapped.

Miroku put two fingers in front of his mouth and closed his eyes, muttering to himself a chant that would erect a powerful barrier against physical attacks. It turned out that his timing couldn't have been better, as the shield formed just as the beam connected with it, splintering the blazing rafter into pieces and casting them harmlessly aside. Kohaku and Kirara sighed in relief, and Shippo gasped. "That was close! Good thing this barrier was here– but who created it?" searching the area with all of his senses, but finding nothing. Kirara however was looking right at their savior, and her red eyes seemed to say 'Thank you'.

Miroku nodded to the cat-demon, then let his barrier down when he saw that the fire had burned itself out. He could hear Kagome's frantic voice calling him from far away, and decided it was time to return to the physical realm and his own time. He closed his eyes, and could somehow tell that his spirit had returned to his body. He felt small hands on his shoulders, and that they were shaking him. "Miroku! Please wake up! Please! I can't lose you, Nii-sama!(4)" Kagome cried, and he opened his eyes, causing the miko to sigh with relief.

"Oh, thank Heaven!" the miko gasped, hugging him tightly. "You were in so deep a trance, I thought you'd _never_ wake up! Never scare me like that again!" she chided, and Miroku smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, imouto-sama."

"What happened to you?" she asked in concern, and Miroku sighed, his eyes triumphant and just a bit mischievous. "I think I figured out how the Tenshioni could manipulate time." he said, and Kagome's eyes widened. "Do you remember when you found that scroll in Tenshi no Toshi? When you fell in that library and something caught you?"

Kagome gasped. "I never told _anyone_ about that! Not even Inuyasha! How could you know–" Then it hit her. "Th-that– was _you_?" Miroku nodded slowly once. "That's _twice_ you've saved my life now, since we defeated Naraku, that is. I lost count of all the times before then." she laughed. "How am I _ever_ gonna repay you?"

The Tenshioni laughed. "You've saved _my_ life too, Kagome. Multiple times. As far as I'm concerned, we're even."

"Hey, Kagome! Bouzu! It's time to eat!" Inuyasha called, and the two friends smiled at each other as they followed their noses to the rest of the group.

* * *

><p>With the help of the villagers, the building of the shrine took only three months where it would otherwise have taken at least a year. The people generously donated many things to the shrine such as livestock and tools. Kagome furnished her 'family's shrine with many items from the future, to make life a bit easier for the growing family. Finishing the final aspect of the shrine, Miroku christened it 'Higurashi', both in honor of his best friend and because he'd finished at sunset. Hoshiko and Tsuki were nearly inseparable, crying whenever they were more than a room's length apart. Thus they were always kept together, even when sleeping. They felt as comfortable in 'Aunt' Kagome's arms as they did in their own mother's, as if they too could sense the family connection. They were even quiet with the demons, but would get upset when Inuyasha got too close.<p>

"Maybe they're scared of Tetsusaiga." Kagome suggested after the most recent incidence. "Keh, they _should_ be. It _is_ a _demon_ sword, after all." he'd huffed, flouncing off to help Sango with something.

Miroku smiled. "It's strange that they're so calm under _my_ demonic aura." he mused, gently picking up Tsuki in his arms. The infant smiled in her sleep.

"Of course they're calm around _you_. You're their _father_." Kagome answered.

"But I was _human_ when they were conceived, and most humans–spiritually aware or not–feel uneasy in the presence of a demonic aura." he argued, frowning slightly in confusion.

"Normally that's the case, you're right Miroku." the miko stated. "But the Tenshioni–the demon you are now–were different. When Inuyasha and I went to Tenshi no Toshi, I could feel a faint demonic aura around the whole area, and it didn't feel malicious at all, unlike most. It was almost– _invigorating_, and it was _exactly_ like yours."

"A _beneficial_ demonic aura?" Miroku asked, skeptical. "_There's_ two concepts that don't mix."

Kagome chuckled. "Yeah, it _does_ sound a little strange, but then again, _nothing_ that happens to us is exactly _normal_."

Miroku chuckled gently too. "Touché."

Just then a thought occurred to Kagome. "Since your aura is the opposite of other demons, shouldn't it then be called an 'angelic' aura, not 'demonic'?"

Miroku snorted. "I'm no angel, Kagome. I'm a _demon_, hence these markings on my face and the word 'Oni' in 'Tenshioni'. Even as a human, I was _far_ from perfect." He gently rocked his daughter as he said this, looking down at her sleeping form lovingly. As a father should.

Kagome smiled. "We all make mistakes, Miroku. It's the _overall_ picture that I'm talking about, not that 'lecher' routine you put on as a mask to hide your true feelings. You're one of the kindest, bravest, most spiritual people I know, who on more than one occasion has shown a heart of gold under all those masks. You don't need wings to be an angel, Miroku. Not to me."

Tears came to the young Tenshioni's eyes, and he embraced his best friend and little sister in a heartfelt hug. "Thank you, Kagome." he whispered thickly, his tears of happiness blocking his vocal cords.

_I'm not the _only_ angel in this family._ Miroku smiled to himself mentally. _Kagome's an angel too, always has been. An angel in a thin disguise. Bless you, Kagome. Bless you._

* * *

><p>"Oh, hi Inuyasha." Sango greeted as the white-haired boy approached and offered to help her tend the garden–or what <em>would<em> be the garden, when she got it planted. "Hey, can you control how deep, wide and long the Wind Scar cuts? This ground is like rock, and these seeds should be planted in furrows."

Inuyasha shrugged. "Well I can certainly try. Ain't got nuthin' else to do anyway." he growled, drawing Tetsusaiga and raising it over his head. "Wind Scar!" came a shout, and five perfect trenches appeared in the ground where the garden was meant to be. When he thought it was long enough, Inuyasha willed the energy of his attack to curve upward into the air, completely and unintentionally obliterating a crow-demon that was looking for its next meal of dead human flesh. "Whoops. Oh well. One less demon to worry about around here." he shrugged, and Sango chuckled. "_It_ was certainly in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Ya got that right." the boy growled. Then out of the blue he complained, "Yer daughters don't like me. An' it's not 'cuz I'm half demon. They got no problems whatsoever with Kirara and Shippo. And Miroku." he added as an afterthought, always forgetting that his friend was now a demon. A very unusually-peaceful demon, but still.

"Well Shippo and Kirara are small, so they're less intimidating. And they would never be scared of their _daddy_. Even if he _is_ a demon now." Sango answered, planting the seeds and watering them right away.

"They don't like me when I'm _human_ either, though." Inuyasha continued, crossing his arms and pouting.

"Well, maybe they just don't like your grumpy attitude." Sango teased as she started on the next row, planting a different kind of seed in this furrow. Inuyasha glared at her, and she explained. "Children are very sensitive to the emotions of others who are nearby. And you're almost _always_ in a bad mood when there's no moon. Maybe they're just reacting to that." she suggested, and Inuyasha looked thoughtful. "They don't like it when '_Uncle Inuyasha_'s being a grouch." she teased again, earning herself a scowl.

"Oh, ha ha." he groused sarcastically, then stalked off to see what Kohaku was up to, feeling honored to be named 'uncle' to the twins, but not about to admit it.

_I rest my case._ The taijiya thought with a smile and shake of her head.

* * *

><p><span>End of chapter (episode) 14<span>

Next chapter teaser: Evening It Out

Translations:

**Tsuki** – Literally translated, it means 'Moon'.

**Hoshiko** – Literally translated, it means something along the lines of 'Child of the Stars'.

**Bakana** – Impossible, no way, unbelievable, unthinkable, –you get the idea.

**Ano** – It just means 'Um' or 'Er'. I think.

Sayonara until next time!

Tsunami Storm


	15. Evening It Out

Reborn, an Inuyasha fanfic by Tsunami Storm

Chapter 15: Evening It Out

* * *

><p>Over the course of the next few days, the group of friends noticed a definite change in a certain member's behavior. It was almost as if Miroku were avoiding them on purpose. As if he were afraid of hurting them somehow with his demonic power. He would no longer eat with them, and would spend most of his time meditating alone behind an impenetrable barrier that he created in what remained of the Forest of Inuyasha.<p>

Everyone was concerned about him, wondering what could possibly have happened to him that could elicit such a response. Kagome thought to herself, _Could it be from when he went into that trance? Something's obviously bothering him._ She gasped, coming to a realization. _Is he– afraid of himself? Of what he might do? That's gotta be it! He's worried that he'll lose control and attack us! But the Tenshioni were a _peaceful_ race. Why would he lose control?_

She wandered off to the burned forest to find her big brother, to see if she could convince him that he wasn't dangerous–or that he was strong enough not to be. The miko spotted his distinctive barrier from afar and adopted a gentle smile as she approached. As she was still walking, Miroku spoke without looking up. "Stay away from me. Leave me be." he said in a dejected voice.

Kagome's smile turned to a look of concern, and she faltered briefly in her advance. "We're all really worried about you, Miroku. Tell me what's troubling you, Onii-san." She pleaded. But at her words, Miroku's barrier only grew larger and stronger. "Get back, Kagome! Get away from me!" he snarled, though there were tears running down his face. "Please." he pleaded in a voice as quiet as a whisper. "I don't want you to get hurt." Then unfurling his snow-white wings, he took off into the setting sun.

Kagome reached out her hand to stop him, but it was too late. The angel had fled. Sighing in defeat, the girl trudged back to the village with heavy feet and a heavier heart.

* * *

><p>Miroku looked back sadly at his little sister, knowing that he had hurt her with his harsh words and tone. <em>Forgive me Kagome,<em> he thought to himself. _I'm too dangerous now to remain with all of you. Until I learn to control my demonic power, I cannot be around anyone that I love. I don't want to harm you._ He flew due west, not entirely sure of his destination.

* * *

><p>"He WHAT?!" Sango cried when Kagome returned and told them what happened.<p>

"Keh, that idiot. If he thinks he can just ditch us _that_ easy, he's in for a shock." Inuyasha growled, grabbing Tetsusaiga and hooking it through his hakama(1) as usual. He held his hands behind his back for Kagome to get on, but the girl shook her head. "Miroku wants to be alone for a while, Inuyasha. We should let him be. He'll come home when he's ready." She said loyally, trusting that her big brother knew what he was doing.

"You're so naive." Inuyasha huffed under his breath, but sat down and folded his arms. In a way, he could empathize with his friend. Demons and humans normally don't mix, and now Miroku was the last of his kind. He didn't really belong _anywhere_ now. Just like Inuyasha had when he was young.

* * *

><p>Miroku flew over trees and towns alike, being careful to not be spotted. After all <em>most<em> humans were afraid of demons. He kept his distance whenever he could, though sometimes he could have sworn he was spotted by a few people.

_Hmm? What's that?_ he asked himself as he flew toward a glowing red light. _It can't be sunrise yet, it's way too early._ Then he gasped. _A fire?_ His blue eyes flashed in determination as he hastened toward the burning village.

What met his eyes was a horrific sight. Nearly every house had been set aflame and desperate characters rode their horses through the carnage like it was nothing. In fact, they seemed to be _enjoying_ the terror they were causing.

"Bandits." Miroku growled angrily to himself. "Probably disgraced samurai deserted from a losing battle, judging from how they're wielding their swords. Preying upon the weak and innocent, the scum." He hovered above them for a while longer–not sure if he should get involved–but then something caught his eye. The leader of the bandits had grabbed a fleeing young woman by her hair and was holding her tightly. "You will make a fine serving wench. Once I've had my fun with you, that is." he laughed wickedly.

This was the last straw. Miroku landed just in front of them, startling the horses and their riders temporarily. "A demon?" one of the men gasped, drawing his katana as the leader tightened his grip on his captive's hair, making her cry out. Miroku couldn't see it, but his eyes had turned blood-red with the depths of his anger and the marks on his face became more pronounced. Glaring at the leader, Miroku growled, "You will release the woman at once, you filthy coward. I will not let you harm another soul, you sad excuse for a samurai!"

"Oh yeah? You and what army, demon? Last time I checked, it was just you against all of us!" the leader laughed, seeing his opponent was alone.

"I don't need an army to dispose of _you_!" Miroku answered. "You're just useless scum." he retorted, but internally he grimaced. _Listen to me, I sound like _Sesshomaru_ now._

"You'll pay for that, bastard!" another bandit shouted, charging at the young angel with his sword drawn. Miroku easily deflected the man's blow with his staff, sending the blade flying out of the man's hand. "I assure you, my parents were _married_." he answered smugly, thinking to himself, _Hmm. I'm stronger than I thought,_ surprised by his new strength. The others roared their war cries and charged him then, but they too were easily dispatched and fled.

During his battle with the underlings, Miroku hadn't noticed the leader sneaking up behind him until it was almost too late. He had released the young woman–who had run off–and silently doubled back around a house to get behind the demon. Miroku wheeled about just in time to be impaled by the bandit's halberd. Or at least that was the man's intention. Instead the blade _clang_ed against something metallic on the angel's chest–under his robes–and the weapon vibrated violently, threatening to snap in two. Miroku grabbed the stunned man's weapon by the pole and wrested it from him, throwing the bandit off his horse as he did so. The animal fled from its cruel master and the angel that had liberated it, eager to escape the raging inferno.

"How– how'd you do that?" the bandit gaped, staring at the demon before him.

"Like I'd ever tell the likes of you." Miroku growled, snapping the man's spear in half like a twig. _–when I don't even know myself._ he added mentally. "Get out of my sight. You're not even worth the effort of eliminating." he spat, turning his back on the gibbering robber and focusing on the burning village as the man took off. _Kami, I hope this works–_ he thought to himself, then closed his eyes and muttered a spell that suddenly came to his mind, backing it with his power.

Suddenly there was a clap of thunder and huge fat raindrops began falling from the heavens, putting out the flames in record time. Miroku smiled gently when he spotted some of the villagers coming out to thank the gods for the sudden storm, then he took off, winging to the south this time.

The young woman Miroku had saved returned to her home, where she asked her husband, "Are you all right, Shinsuke my love?"

The man nodded. "I am unharmed. And you, my dearest?" She nodded back. "Thank the gods. I'm so glad you're safe, Wakana." [Yep. Same couple from episodes 131 and 132.]

Once he was absolutely sure he was alone, Miroku landed in a small clearing in the middle of a forest and unraveled his robes so that his torso was exposed. He gasped when he saw that the 'angel armor' that the boys and Kirara had found in Tenshi no Toshi now protected him, and that it was a perfect fit–as if it had been made for him. _I don't believe it._ he gasped. _It's as light as a feather, and yet as hard as the scales of a dragon._ He unraveled the rest of his robes and discovered that he was protected by a full set of armor, including greaves, poleyns, cubitieres, rerebraces and vambraces. The only thing missing was a helmet. The backplate even had two holes cut in the back for his wings.

_It seems this armor has chosen me._ Miroku thought after unsuccessfully trying to remove it. _I suppose–as a Tenshioni–I am now more susceptible to broken bones than I was as a human. Is this armor Kami's way of apologizing for what has happened to me?_ he asked mentally as he flew south. He sighed dejectedly. _I can never be with Sango again._ he reminded himself. _I've abandoned her–albeit unwillingly–now with two little ones to provide for. Some father _I_ turned out to be._ he ruthlessly berated himself.

…

Unknown to the morose monk, another demon was also traveling south, using the same air currents he was. Or more specifically, demon _trio_. Sesshomaru, Jaken and A-Un appeared in the skies above him, and Miroku shrugged and flew higher to travel beside them, since they were headed in the same direction anyway. _Eh, why not?_ the angel thought.

"My Lord, we have been joined by a fellow demon." Jaken observed a tad unnecessarily, as the daiyoukai(2) had sensed him from miles away.

"We meet again, young monk." the dog demon muttered by way of greeting, and Miroku inclined his head in as much of a respectful bow as he could manage while still remaining airborne. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed, but not in anger. It was more like curiosity. "Your countenance seems altered somehow, from when last we met." he commented.

"Does it?" Miroku asked, confused. He didn't _feel_ any different from last time, except for the armor he was clad in. But apparently the youkai lord saw something he couldn't.

"Your markings. They are a deeper, richer color than before. And the scent of your blood has changed. Closer to that of a full demon." he explained, studying the angel that flew beside him in interest. "You are an enigma."

Miroku chuckled to himself, though his companions still heard it. "I've been called worse, I suppose." he joked, and Sesshomaru almost cracked a smile. "It wasn't an insult. You interest me." the daiyoukai admitted. "You remind me of something Father taught me long ago when I was young, about the age of the boy Kohaku."

Miroku looked over in interest, surprised that the proud demon would willingly speak of his past.

"Long ago–before my birth–there existed a race of peaceful, highly-advanced demons that dwelt on peaks of mountains. They appeared as humans with white wings and demon markings on their faces. The Tenshioni." Miroku nodded. He'd heard about them before from both master Mushin and Inuyasha.

"As with all races of demons, some Tenshioni felt an attachment to humans, and their– _mixed_ offspring would never be accepted by their mortal neighbors and kin, excluding the human parent. _Unlike_ most demon races, however, the half-breed young were accepted in the society of the true Tenshioni. These half-breeds would develop and mature as humans–albeit with distinctive facial marks like their demon parent–and would gain their wings when they reached adulthood. This was different from true Tenshioni, who would develop their wings mere weeks after birth. Also, their demonic power would always wax and wane with the cycle of the moon, without exception. Much like Inuyasha's time of weakness." Sesshomaru scowled at the thought of his half-brother, whom he still despised.

Miroku was surprised. "You know about that?" he interrupted. "Why then did you never attack us, when you knew Inuyasha was mortal and vulnerable at certain times?" He didn't want to reveal exactly when Inuyasha's 'time of the month' was, in case there were any eavesdroppers on their conversation. Unlikely, as they were so high in the sky, but Miroku had always been a little paranoid.

"All half-demons have a period when they lose their powers and become human. I knew this, and spent a few years– 'watching over' Inuyasha from a distance, when he was alone in the world and still a pup. –Father asked me to, before he died." Sesshomaru admitted, not able to meet the eyes of his traveling companions. He was too embarrassed, and too proud to admit that he was.

Miroku just gaped at the demon, doing a wonderful impression of a fish out of water. Then Sesshomaru glared at him. "If you breathe _one word_ of this to Inuyasha, that breath will be your last." he growled. Miroku made a cross sign over his heart, answering, "I promise. He shall never hear it from me."

Seeming satisfied, Sesshomaru continued with his story. "As I was saying before the interruption, these hanyou would grow stronger and weaker with the phases of the moon. When it was full they would be full demons, just like a true Tenshioni. When the moon grew dark, they would be rendered mere mortals–no demonic power whatsoever–but only for that one night. When the sun returned bringing the dawn, it also returned their demonic power, negligible as it was." he sniffed, ending his tale.

Miroku looked down at their surroundings for a bit to see how far they had traveled, then looked back up. "Not that I don't appreciate this new information, but why are you telling me these things?" he asked innocently, and Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at him like he'd missed something important and obvious. "Because that's what you _are_ now. I thought you knew." He scoffed lightly. "You really _are_ new to this." he muttered to himself, but Miroku still heard it with his augmented hearing.

"I'm a– _half_-demon?" Miroku breathed to himself. "But– Ukaran's venom–"

Sesshomaru scoffed again, though louder this time. "That pest was far too presumptuous. Her weak venom wasn't nearly enough to turn a human into a true demon. _Nothing_ is powerful enough to do _that_, save the Shikon no Tama. All her male victims were mere half-demons, and she responded to her failures by eating the evidence." Miroku pulled a disgusted face, as did Jaken, who had been listening from A-Un's back. _That's why there were so many half-eaten corpses hanging in her cave when we rescued Sota. Those were her failed victims._ Miroku thought to himself.

A new thought suddenly entered his mind, one that caused his chest to rise with hope and his heart to soar. _Could this mean I won't lose control? Can I return to Sango without fear of harming her or the others?_

"I see no reason why not." Sesshomaru huffed, and Miroku looked at him in surprise. _Can _he_ read minds too?! First Onigumo and now _him_?_

"Your thoughts were very obvious on your face. I was merely answering your expression." the daiyoukai clarified, and Miroku nodded. That was more or less what Onigumo had said in the gap between dimensions. Apparently he would need to exercise greater care in keeping his emotions in check.

"However, I am most curious as to how the Tenshioni were able to manipulate time." Sesshomaru added thoughtfully. He looked at Miroku in interest, but the young angel shrugged. "I am not sure. I was able to travel back in time once–a few months up the time-stream–and I guess my journey to Kagome's time counts, but I don't know how I did it." He looked down, apologetic.

Sesshomaru frowned. "Were you aware both times?" he asked, and Miroku shook his head. "The first time was right after my 'near-death experience'. The last thing I remember from before it happened was the battle with Ukaran, then I felt like I was being carried–maybe by Kirara–then leaning up against a wooden wall. After my 'experience', I woke up at the bottom of the Bone-Eater's Well in Kagome's time." he explained as they continued west.

"And the second time?" Jaken asked, intrigued as well.

"The second time occurred when I was meditating, just myself and Kagome in the main room of the Higurashi Shrine. I fell into this very deep trance, and I only came out of it when Kagome shook me awake and shouted my name." he elucidated.

"Hmm." Sesshomaru huffed. "Could it perhaps be that your level of control waxes and wanes with the moon as well? Or is it merely a matter of practice?" he asked, and Miroku grinned and shrugged again. "Your guess is as good as mine. I don't know much about the Tenshioni's magic. I only know one of their 'prayers' in their language, and that is a blessing for trees to grow tall and beautiful for many years to come." he answered. "Maybe master Mushin knows more about them than he let on over the years when he was training me." he smiled, thinking fondly of his teacher who had a tendency to drink too much.

"Perhaps." the daiyoukai answered. "If you indeed decide to return to your old teacher, just know that you will do so alone. I have no desire whatsoever to come within any distance of sacred ground if necessity does not demand it." he growled, remembering what it had been like at Mt. Hakurei. He was not eager for a repeat performance of the unpleasant experience.

"Miroku smiled wryly. "I understand. I would not expect you to accompany me. Despite appearances, I can usually take care of myself." he joked, and Sesshomaru rolled his eyes.

…

After traveling in companionable–but still slightly awkward–silence for a few hours, the demons and hanyou came to a fork in their 'road', of sorts. Mushin's temple lay to the east of this area, while the other three demons turned to the west. Miroku waved a polite goodbye to his traveling companions and called, "Until we meet again, fair fortune be yours." Sesshomaru simply nodded back, reciprocating the same to the angel. Then Miroku turned to the left and turned his back on the demons, heading for his old friend's temple.

…

Miroku touched down on the soft, dew-covered grass just as the sun broke the horizon, facing his father's grave. Smiling sadly at the stone marker in the center, he knelt down at the edge of the crater, praying for his father's spirit to find happiness in Heaven. The young monk also prayed for his mother and his paternal grandfather, somehow knowing that they were smiling down on him from somewhere up there in the firmament.

After a time the young angel stood up, tying what was left of his robes about his torso, hiding both his wings and the armor that now protected him. He knew he couldn't do much about the markings on his face, as the full moon was drawing near and they were growing more pronounced and deeper in color. Miroku guessed that by the day of the full moon, he wouldn't be able to dispel his wings at all, since the true Tenshioni could not. At least, he thought that was the case.

By this time the sun was already quite high in the sky, and some of the mist that blanketed the mountain temple had dispersed. Miroku took in a deep breath, then sighed. "Well, here we go." he said to no one in particular, then walked toward Mushin's temple where he could just see a figure moving about inside. He walked up the steps to the wooden walkway, then slid back the door and let himself in. After all, this place had been his home for a number of his younger years.

"Mushin-sama?" Miroku called. "It's me, Miroku. You're not drunk yet, are you?" he joked, trying a bit of humor to get rid of the sudden butterflies in his stomach. How would his old master react now that he was a demon? Well, _half_-demon, but he definitely wasn't human anymore.

"No not yet, but I'm working on it." the older monk joked back. "How are you, my boy?" he asked as he came around the corner.

"Healthy as a horse. I could probably fight my weight in wildcats." Miroku laughed, quoting his old master. "More or less."

"What do you mean by that–?" Mushin asked, finally looking up to see his former student. He gasped. "My heavens! What has happened to you, Miroku? Why do you have _demon_ markings on your face?!" he cried, utterly shocked.

Miroku looked down. "You might want to sit down for this." he warned, and when they both had, Miroku began his tale. When he finished, the younger man sighed. "I finally break _one_ curse only to be struck with another, and both curses came from spider-demons. It seems they are the bane of my family's line."

"So you are not a true Tenshioni, but a half-demon?" Mushin asked, and Miroku nodded. "According to Sesshomaru. He may be a demon, but he's not a liar. There would be no point." he explained.

"The Tenshioni. _There's_ a topic that hasn't come up for a long time." Mushin sighed. "In fact, the last time I can recall was when you were little. You would always beg me for stories about the 'birdy-people'." he chuckled fondly, and Miroku laughed as well. "Is that why you came here? For story time?" he teased gently, and Miroku smiled. "More or less. I need you to tell me everything you know about the Tenshioni. Starting at the beginning."

* * *

><p>Days later–<p>

"Miroku's been gone for a long time. I'm worried about him." Kagome sighed as she paced back and forth, wringing her hands. She knew in her heart that Miroku would return, that when he'd fled from her in the forest it wasn't a _permanent_ goodbye. He was just scared, and he needed answers. The problem was that the Tenshioni were extinct, and there was no one to help him learn about what he now was.

"Eh, he's fine." Inuyasha growled, shrugging nonchalantly, though he missed his friend too. "He managed to keep himself safe fer 18 years before we met him, an' that was _with_ that cursed hand of his. He can take care of himself." He rolled over onto his other side as he closed his eyes. "It's so _boring_ around here! I need ta fight something. Hey Kohaku, ya wanna go hunt some demons?" he asked, and the boy looked up. "Huh? O-oh, yeah. Sure. Sounds like fun." he answered distractedly, his mind clearly somewhere else.

"What's up with you?" the hanyou asked, looking over at him in interest. "Somethin' wrong?"

Kohaku shook his head. "Not really. I was just thinking about that armor set that Shippo, Kirara and I found in Tenshi no Toshi."

"What about it?" Inuyasha asked, rolling over onto his back and folding his arms behind his head, the picture of nonchalance.

"–It's missing."

"WHAT?!" the white-haired teen cried, jumping up to his feet, ready for action. "Did somebody steal it? I'll hunt them down and get it back in no time! Did you see 'em? Which way'd the creeps go?" he demanded, and Kohaku balked, putting his hands up as if in surrender. "I just said it was missing. I don't know if someone took it or _what_ happened. It just disappeared. One minute it was on the stand in the shrine–when I was sweeping in there–and when I looked back at it two seconds later, it was gone! Just vanished into thin air!" he explained, and Inuyasha sighed. "Oh great. Magic." he growled.

"Magic?" Kagome asked, and Inuyasha nodded. "That's the only explanation. The only being who could _maybe_ swipe it within _that_ little of a time-limit is yours truly. An' I didn't do it. It either vanished of its own accord or a seriously-powerful demon with magic took it."

"I think it was the former." laughed a familiar voice as none other than Miroku poked his head in the door. "It locked itself onto me and it refuses to come off. I'm stuck with it." he explained, smiling sheepishly.

Everyone gasped. "Miroku!" Kagome and Shippo cried in unison, running to embrace their best friend and jumping into his arms, respectively. He hugged them both affectionately.

"That didn't take long." Inuyasha commented. "I didn't think you'd come back for like a _month_, at least." he growled, though not unkindly. "So did you reconcile with yourself your new demonic powers?"

Miroku smiled. "I have. And I know that I can control myself. I'm no longer afraid of hurting any of you, simply because I _refuse_ to let it happen. I have accepted the fact that I am now a demon. –Well, _half_-demon anyway." He explained what he had learned on his most recent journey, and everyone looked impressed. "You took out a whole gang of bandits by yourself? Not bad, Miroku. Not bad at all." Inuyasha complimented with a grin.

The young angel smiled again. "Thank you." Then he sighed. "I guess I've kinda tipped the scales of our group in favor of the demons. Of our original traveling party, there used to be an even number of demons and humans. But now there are only two humans: Kagome and Sango, and _four_ demons; myself, Kirara, Shippo, and you Inuyasha." he looked down, ashamed of his lost humanity.

"Nah." Inuyasha disagreed. "The way _I_ see it, the 'playing field' is more evened-out now." he explained himself at everyone's look of confusion. "You've still got the two humans: Kagome an' Sango, the two _full_ demons: Kirara and Shippo, an' then you've got _two_ half-demons: You 'n me. We've got two of every kind now."

Miroku looked up, not expecting Inuyasha to say something like that. "I guess you're right. I hadn't seen it that way."

"_Now_ the only problem is figuring out what we're supposed to _do_ with these new powers of yours." Inuyasha continued. "I mean, there's gotta be _some_ purpose to them. You didn't just get them for no reason. The world just don't work like that."

Miroku shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine."

* * *

><p><span>End of chapter (Episode) 15<span>

Next chapter teaser: The Onitenshi

If any of you lovely readers have read any of my other stories–namely 'Brothers in Time'–you'll notice that Miroku's words in the first section seem a bit familiar. I'm not making any excuses. I have officially plagiarized myself. XD

Aww. Sesshomaru-sama actually cares about his little half-brother. How cute! *gets conked by another rock* If I get brain damage from all this abuse, it'll be _your_ fault, Fluffy-sama! Then there won't be any more story!

And I totally made that up with Tenshioni 'power' waxing and waning with the moon. It's like the exact opposite of Inuyasha's situation. When he's human he sees it as a curse, but Miroku sees his 'one night of humanity' as a blessing and his _demonic_ form as a curse.

_Snort._ Birdy-people. I honestly don't know how I come up with these things. But they're amusing!

Aww, and Inuyasha's showing his more sensitive side. I knew he wasn't such a moody grouch all the time! And even _he_ has his moments of wisdom sometimes. _Very_ rarely, but sometimes.

Inuyasha: Hey!

Good question, Inuyasha. What _will_ Miroku do with his new abilities? I'm the author, and even _I_ don't know yet!

Translations:

**Hakama** – Traditional style Japanese pants or trousers.

**Daiyoukai** – Demon lord.

See you next time! Sayonara!

Tsunami Storm


	16. The Onitenshi

Reborn, an Inuyasha fanfic by Tsunami Storm

Chapter 16: The Onitenshi

* * *

><p>As time marched on, days became weeks and weeks became months. Miroku took to hiding himself whenever the full moon would appear, as he knew that the villagers would likely not be comfortable with his full-demon form, complete with huge wings. It was bad enough that Inuyasha would stick around–being a half-demon–but the villagers had grown accustomed to <em>him<em>.

Unlike most half-demons, Miroku relished the nights when he would regain his human self, and would spend most of that one night each month with Sango. When morning would come, the angel could be found in the Great Room of the Higurashi Shrine, meditating and contemplating the return of his demonic–or according to Kagome, _angelic_–powers.

On that subject, Miroku practiced using his powers of manipulating time faithfully every day, so that when the time came that he really _needed_ them, he would be able to use them easily.

It was during one of these excursions into the time-stream that Miroku first encountered them. Beings that looked like he did now, only with crimson eyes and jet-black, leathery wings instead of the white, feathery ones that he possessed. However, the markings on their faces were all similar to his, though each were unique. He stopped in this strange realm-that-was-not-quite-a-realm and studied them for a moment, curiosity being his most prominent emotion.

"Well hello there!" a voice sounded from behind him, and the angel jumped in surprise and spun around on his heel to face its owner, tensing immediately into a battle position.

"Peace!" the strange being laughed. "I mean you no harm." it smiled disarmingly, but Miroku didn't relax. Something about this demon-angel didn't seem right, and his instincts were telling him to run. Fast. But he couldn't move his legs. _Surely this being can't be _all_ bad, _Miroku thought. _He certainly has a winning smile._

"I haven't seen _you_ around here before, brother. Are you new?" the demon-angel asked politely, and Miroku's confusion grew. "Brother?" he asked.

The demon laughed again. "We are both angels, thus we are brothers, yes?" he asked with a chuckle, and Miroku nodded slowly. "I suppose. But I am not a _true_ Tenshioni. I'm half human." he explained, looking down sheepishly.

"Oh, a hybrid?" the demon-angel raised a surprised eyebrow, "Well you are most welcome here, no matter _what_ you are!" he grinned with his dazzling smile again. He turned to his fellows that Miroku had been studying discreetly and called, "Friends! Come greet our new brother! You need not fear him, for he is one of us!"

The other demon-angels flew over and greeted Miroku cordially, who greeted them back in kind and with respect. He'd always been taught that the Tenshioni had been driven to extinction by the humans. Apparently he'd been taught falsely. He asked about this, and the beings looked down, their leader answering.

"Unfortunately that is true. The Tenshioni were completely wiped out by man. The only reason _we_ are here is because we were journeying through space and time away from our vessels." the being lied easily. They were in fact banished for unmentionable sins, but he wasn't about to tell Miroku that. "The barbaric humans slit our bodies' throats so that we couldn't return, and we were forced to watch helplessly as our kingdom was destroyed and her people slaughtered in total genocide." he continued, though this time he spoke the truth.

"The last of our people to be executed was our great king," the demon sniffled, feigning tears. In reality he was glad the king was gone. "my father."

Miroku gasped, horrified. "You–you are the crown prince?" he breathed before dropping to one knee in respect before the royal demon-angel.

"Yes, but a prince without a kingdom is worth very little. Especially in _this_ forsaken realm." the demon growled sourly before the others voiced their support, two of them putting a hand on his shoulders. "It is not the _land_ that makes the ruler, but the _people_. We are with you, Prince Abaddon, and we will follow you to the end of time."

The prince of demons bowed his head and smiled sadly. "I thank you, my friends."

Miroku, meanwhile, was pensive. _Hmm–_ Abaddon. _I know I've heard that name somewhere before, but where? And why do I have this uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach, and why does the skin on the back of my neck prickle with apprehension? This being has done _nothing_ to warrant these reactions. Maybe I'm just paranoid._

"So tell me brother, how did _you_ escape the destruction?" a different demon-angel asked curiously, and Miroku looked down. "I didn't. I was not yet born when this tragedy occurred. Far from it. Where I come from, the elimination of the Tenshioni occurred five-hundred years ago. I was changed from a human monk into a Tenshioni-hanyou by a spider-demon's venom."

"Seriously?" another demon-angel exclaimed. "Then how came you to find _us_ in this realm?"

"Complete accident." Miroku admitted with a chuckle, rubbing his neck in embarrassment. "I'm still new to this 'astral-projection, time-travel' thing. I was practicing honing my abilities, then I spotted you guys and came for a closer look." he admitted.

"So just to clarify, your body is still out there–in the human world–unattended?" Abaddon asked in disbelief, a gleam of excitement flashing suddenly in his eyes. When Miroku looked back up though, it was already hidden. "What if something happens to it?" he asked, feigning concern.

"I trust my friends and my family to keep my body safe while my spirit is elsewhere." Miroku shrugged, knowing that his vessel was perfectly protected. "While it _is_ true that humans' capacity for atrocity is still great, not _all_ humans are dark-hearted like the ones who slew your people. A lot can change in five-hundred years." he explained. Little did he notice that the other demons had been slowly crowding behind him. Waiting for the opportune moment.

"It certainly can." Abaddon agreed, nodding. Then he snapped his fingers. At once Miroku was caught in a net of arms, rooting him to the spot where he stood and immobilizing him almost instantly.

"Humans are such _pathetic_ creatures." Abaddon hissed triumphantly as Miroku struggled in vain. "I mean, they at least presented a _challenge_ five-hundred years ago, but now? They're as useless as game animals. I suppose the slayers were the exception, but _they're_ mostly extinct now too, save one. And a half I guess, if you count the runt." Miroku glared at him for talking about his brother-in-law Kohaku like that.

"Thanks for opening the door for us, 'brother'." Abaddon laughed, and his followers echoed him nastily. "We've been stuck in here for far too long. It's time we flew the coop and _lived_ a little." He grinned, then touched the portal to the Living World. "Hmm." he mused. "That's annoying."

"What is, my prince? What's wrong?" one of the other demon-angels asked, concerned, but Abaddon shrugged in dismissal. "That body can only house _one_ soul. It _is_ only a half-demon, after all. Any more will overload its heart and stop it. I'm afraid that _I'm_ the only one who will be leaving." he grimaced, showing true regret on his face. For once.

"You can't abandon us!" a female demon-angel screeched. "After all we've been through for you, _sacrificed_ for you! How could you do this, you traitor!"

"Hold thy tongue, Lilith!" Abaddon roared, suddenly livid. "You know not thy place. I am your _prince_. I should make you worship the very ground I walk upon! Never question my path, 'cause I just discovered a window of opportunity for _all_ of you to join me–though it may take a little time." he grinned, pointing back at the doorway as Sango approached Miroku's meditating form and dabbed his sweat-coated forehead lovingly with a cool, moist cloth. Strapped to her back were two infants, little Hoshiko and Tsuki, Miroku's twin daughters.

"You can't be planning–" Miroku gasped, horrified. "You–you monster! You're not a Tenshioni! You're a _fallen_ angel!" he realized. "Abaddon. Now I recognize it. It's another name for the Devil, Lucifer."

"Yes. I'm so flattered you've heard of me." Abaddon hissed with a grin. "Knowing my identity won't help you much, though. When I'm masquerading around in _your_ body, no one will know the difference."

"Yes they will." Miroku spat back. "They'll see right through you. My friends know me better than anyone." he stated confidently, assured of his companions' powers of perception.

Abaddon laughed again. "We'll see who's right." he sneered as he turned to the portal. Then throwing a suggestion back to his fellow fallen angels–the Onitenshi–he said, "Keep our guest occupied, will you? I know how much you enjoy torture, Alistair." he grinned, and a demon on Miroku's right fingered a knife lovingly. "While you're at it, question him for details of his life that I'll need to know." he requested, and Lilith grinned. "Leave it to me, my Prince of Darkness." she bowed low as Abaddon stepped through the portal and into Miroku's empty body.

* * *

><p>Hours later–<p>

_"K-Kagome–"_ a weak, injured voice whispered in the wind. _"H-help me–"_

The miko turned and looked around, sure that she had heard her big brother's voice on the wind.

"What's the matter Kagome?" Inuyasha asked, knowing by now how to read her face, when she was afraid or concerned. "D'you hear something?"

"I could've sworn I heard Miroku's voice just now." the girl answered. Then she shook her head. "But I must've imagined it. He's with Kohaku and Kirara exterminating demons in the next village. He left early this morning after his meditation exercises." she frowned, stumped at the mystery.

"Speakin' of Miroku, have you noticed that he's been actin' a bit– _strange_ lately?" the hanyou asked his girlfriend. "It's subtle, but I can feel it. Somehow." Inuyasha frowned.

"You're right. I _have_ noticed something different about him." Kagome nodded. "It's almost like he's a different person, yet he still looks the same as always."

_"That's because it's _not_ me, Kagome."_ the disembodied voice breathed. _"_I'm _trapped in the Spirit Realm, and that fallen angel has possessed my body. I can't get back! You must find a way to save me, before the same fate befalls the rest of you! He'll try to replace all of your souls with those of his dark friends, the Onitenshi. Only _you _have the power to save me, Kagome. Only _you _can release my soul from this prison!"_

Kagome shivered suddenly, but it had nothing to do with the weather. "Do you ever get the feeling that you're being watched? By–you know–_spirits_?" she asked Inuyasha.

"Sometimes." the boy answered. "But you know they can't hurt you, right? Nothing will ever hurt you as long as _I'm_ around, I promise you!" Inuyasha vowed solemnly, and in the parallel Spirit dimension, Miroku looked down sadly. _"You're wrong, Inuyasha. These spirits _can _hurt you! You must be on your guard at all times, or the same fate that befell me will happen to you!"_

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Kohaku, Kirara and the man everyone <em>thought <em>was Miroku were enjoying the fruits of their labors, staying at the headman's house for the evening and filling themselves with the delicious feast their hosts had prepared for them. Not everyone noticed it, but Miroku's irises had turned the color of pooled blood, to represent the change of soul that the 'monk' had undergone. However, the impostor was a very good actor, and none of the humans noticed anything amiss. At least not at first.

Kirara however was understandably on-edge around the older member of their party, and would raise her hackles and arch her back whenever 'Miroku' would get too close to her. Thus she spent most of the evening on her young master's shoulder, on the opposite side as the demon. She could sense that the being sitting calmly next to Kohaku was not the friend she had grown to trust in their travels, though he acted just like he always had.

It was when the headman noticed the man's unusual eye color that he spoke up. Kohaku looked at his friend's face and saw that his irises had indeed turned from royal blue to dark crimson, and this unnerved him considerably. He asked him about this change, and the impostor Miroku looked down.

"It is approaching the time of a full moon. My eyes turn crimson as a demon's do, and I cannot dispel my wings. You've seen me in my true demon form before, remember?" he smiled wryly, but Kohaku turned pensive. _His _irises_ never changed color before. They've always stayed blue, and only the white part turned crimson when he got angry. Kirara has always gotten along with him in the past, but now she's avoiding him like the Plague. What's going on here? _Something was off about the monk, and Kohaku was determined to find out what.

The headman sat up a bit straighter on his cushion. "From the time I was a boy, about your age, young man," he said to Kohaku, "I have always been told that 'the eyes are the windows to the soul'. You can tell a lot about a person by looking at their eyes. What kind of person they are inside." he said sagely, almost as if he knew what was going on.

"That is very true, my good man." the demon answered, seemingly humble as always, but Kohaku noticed a subtle undercurrent of annoyance and anger beneath his polite words, as the man had just blown his secret. Kohaku watched his companion carefully after that, but 'Miroku' wouldn't look him in the eye. Almost as if he were afraid of him.

Suddenly a deep, ear-splitting roar shook the land, and Kohaku sighed. "Guess we're not done yet with our job. Come on, Kirara, Miroku. Let's get rid of this new threat." he suggested, and the demon's eyes gleamed in excitement and the thrill of battle, something that the _real_ Miroku had never shown before. He _hated_ violence, and only resorted to it when absolutely necessary. More evidence that the man was not who he seemed to be.

"This demon is probably the mate of one of the demons we slew today." 'Miroku' observed, and Kohaku had to agree. That made sense. "She wants revenge."

"Just like Ukaran wanted revenge for Naraku." Kohaku answered, testing the monk.

"Who? O–oh, yes. That spider-demon and her hordes." the man answered too quickly, trying to cover his slip-up, but it was too late. Kohaku had figured it out.

"You're not Miroku." he growled dangerously. "_That's_ why Kirara's been avoiding you lately, when she was such great friends with the _real_ Miroku. It's because you're _not_ him. _You're_ not Miroku!" he finished, glaring at the impostor who had somehow usurped his brother-in-law's body.

The façade crumbled away, and 'Miroku' grinned evilly. "Finally. I was getting tired of impersonating that weak, half-breed fool." Faster than the human eye could see, he grabbed Kohaku in a choke-hold and covered his mouth with a hand, magically immobilizing Kirara with nothing but a glance in her direction. Kohaku struggled, but the demon-angel's grip was like a vise. He put his face an inch away from the boy's ear and whispered calmly, "You tell _any_ of your friends or family about who I am, and I'll _destroy_ Miroku's soul." he vowed, his arm around the boy's neck tightening slightly for emphasis, then loosening again.

"What have you done with Miroku, you monster?! Where is my brother-in-law?" Kohaku shouted through his gag, and somehow the demon understood him.

"That loser's perfectly safe, at least for now." he answered cryptically. "He's locked in the Spirit World, just as I was for centuries. I think he'll find the accommodations just as– _comforting_ as I did." he growled at the unpleasant memory. "Everything's like the Living World only in shades of gray, but you can't touch anything, and no one can hear or sense you in any way. You can smell, taste, hear and see everything, but you can't influence _any_ of it. It's _beyond_ maddening!" he snarled, and Kohaku shrank away from him. Suddenly the demon-angel smiled, an eerie expression that made the hairs on the back of Kohaku's neck stand on end.

"What am I telling you this for? You'll experience it for yourself, once I free all my friends from that dimension and replace them with _your_ souls! It'll be one big happy family reunion with your _precious_ Miroku." he laughed evilly as he immobilized the giant snake-demon with a finger and destroyed it with a twitch of his head. "By the way, you tell anyone about my plans, and I'll make _sure_ your souls suffer in that world, especially the monk and slayer's little spawn."

Kohaku saw red when he heard what the demon was planning to do with his infant nieces, but managed to keep his emotions under control for the moment. Barely. The demon laughed. "I can feel you shaking, you know. But is it with fear, or rage? Fear for yourself, or for those you love?" He closed his crimson eyes for a moment. "I see it's the latter in both cases. You're much like that fool in that respect. Both self-sacrificing _heroes_. I can't _stand_ people like you, like my idiot father and the rest of the Tenshioni. _I_ chose the path of power and control, and what was my reward? Banishment, imprisonment and nearly _eternal_ torment." he paused, shuddering at the memories. Then he grinned fiercely.

"But now I'm free and can do whatever I want, especially with a body like this! Even though it's only a _half_-demon. Ah well. As they say, 'Beggars can't be choosers'." And with that he summoned his jet-black wings–tearing gigantic rips in Miroku's favorite robes–and flew back to the headman's house, casually releasing Kirara as an afterthought.

The two-tailed cat had understood that entire exchange, and would have liked nothing more than to rip that demon's head off his shoulders and save her young master at this very moment. But it was still _Miroku's_ body, even though her friend wasn't currently occupying it. And he'd need it when they got him back from wherever he was, and banished the demon back to the depths of Hell from whence it came.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile in the Spirit dimension, Miroku was watching this whole scenario unfold with increasing dread. He looked over at Kirara. <em>"I thank you for your restraint, my friend. That <em>thing_ may be an evil demon, but it's still _my_ body that it is possessing." _He smiled at the cat-demon–who could somehow see and hear him–and she nodded her answer.

_Who could have guessed that the _prince_ of the Tenshioni would have been their destroyer as well? Well, indirectly, but the reason for their annihilation nonetheless. _he thought to himself. Then a gleam of hope entered his blue eyes. _"All is not lost. Kirara can see and hear me, and Kagome can _somewhat_ hear me, so there are options left. Mark my words, demon-prince. Your days are numbered!"_

* * *

><p>"My good monk, whatever happened to your fine robes?" the headman exclaimed when Abaddon returned with Kohaku and Kirara. The demon shrugged. "I had a little trouble with that snake-demon." he lied easily. "No worries, my good man. I am skilled with making small repairs to clothing as one of my talents. This is nothing." he assured, and Kohaku raised an eyebrow. Abaddon turned and winked at him. The boy then realized that he must have been talking about using Miroku's muscle-memory for that skill.<p>

_Miroku knows how to sew? _Kohaku thought, surprised. _I guess I should've expected that. He's been in a lot of battles over the years, yet his robes never seemed to be torn. He must have repaired them himself every time. They really mean a lot to him, being an inheritance from his father._

As Abaddon turned to the side for a moment, the headman glimpsed a glimmer of silver underneath a tear in the man's robes, and he became curious. "Good monk, what is under your robes, if you don't mind me asking?"

'Miroku' smiled. "It's armor. It once belonged to the king of the Tenshioni. My young companion and his demon-cat found it in the ruins of their capital city, Tenshi no Toshi. It chose me and now protects me from physical harm." he explained, a bit of pride in his voice. Kohaku turned pensive. _So it _did_ belong to their king. I thought so. Now the only thing to do is to get the _real_ Miroku back._

"That is incredible." the headman breathed, impressed. "You said this armor 'chose' you? How?"

Miroku grinned again, though this time it looked a little sheepish. "It locked itself onto my torso and it refuses to come off. Believe me, I've tried." he laughed nervously. "I guess it's a sign. A sign that dark and difficult times lie ahead, and I must be prepared for the battles."

"Well, it is indeed a dangerous world we live in these days." the headman agreed sagely. "In my many years I have learned never to squander a gift. You should do the same, young man."

'Miroku' nodded. "You are indeed wise, my good man. This armor is a gift from the heavens, or at least heavenly beings. I shall treasure it." he promised, putting a hand to his chest-plate, directly over his heart.

* * *

><p>Back in Kaede's village, Sango paced back and forth in the main room of the shrine, thinking about something troubling. Miroku had left in a hurry, almost as if he were afraid of facing her directly. Considering how strong their bond was with each other, one would think that he would at <em>least<em> say goodbye to her, and perhaps include a gentle kiss on the cheek to symbolize how much he loved her, but– nothing. He had left without a word, without even _glancing_ at her or their twin daughters.

_What has happened to you, Miroku? _Sango thought worriedly. _You don't seem like yourself. Like the man I fell in love with, the man I married. Somehow some other man's replaced you and goes about with your name and likeness. Please come back to me, my love. _she pleaded and prayed, and in the Spirit dimension, Miroku heard her unspoken plea.

_"I'm trying, Sango." _he answered, knowing that she wouldn't be able to hear him. Only those with immense spiritual power or demons could sense him, and Sango was neither. _"I wish I could sweep you up in my arms at this very moment, but I can't. I'm nothing but a shadow to you now, while the Devil himself is running around freely in _my _body. I cannot escape this prison on my own, I need help from the human side of the Veil. Help me, my beautiful slayer–"_

But Sango just continued to pace, oblivious to the pleas of her trapped partner.

* * *

><p>Outside in the garden, Shippo was busy touching up his various 'toys', making them look as good as new for the battles to come. After all, who knew when he would need to use them again? Suddenly the young kitsune felt a warm breeze blow against his back, unseasonable for this time of year. He sighed in contentment and relaxation, feeling a friendly presence in the wind's gentle and somewhat playful caress. He sniffed around after that, sure that he had sensed something different after the gust. He'd felt this same presence somewhere before, and he instinctively knew that it meant no harm.<p>

"H-hello?" he quavered nervously, standing to his feet and looking around him, tail swishing in interest. "A-are you the mystery person that saved us from disaster in Tenshi no Toshi?" he asked, and another warm breeze tickled the back of his neck. Shippo took that to mean 'Yes'. "Thank you for saving me and my friends from that burning beam. We would have been squashed had you not intervened when you did. Not to mention roasted." he laughed nervously, and in the Spirit dimension, Miroku chuckled at his youngest friend's choice of words. _"Yeah, probably."_ he laughed.

"Hey, I _heard_ you just now!" Shippo exclaimed, looking around wildly with a smile of wonder on his young face. "But– why can't I see you?"

_"I'm in the Spirit World, young fox." _Miroku said mysteriously, a smile on his face and leaking into his voice. _"You cannot see me, but I can see you."_

"Wow." the kit breathed, awestruck. "A _spirit_ is actually talking to _me_? But I'm just a kid." he answered, his countenance falling. "Why would the spirit of a _hero_ want to talk to _me_?"

_"You've proven on more than one occasion that you're much more than 'just a kid', Shippo."_ Miroku chuckled, causing another warm breeze to ruffle the boy's red hair just as he would with his own hand. _"You've shown strength and courage far beyond your years. And you have a pure heart. You're a very special boy, and that's why I need your help."_

"_You_– need _my_ help?" Shippo repeated, dumbfounded. Then something clicked in his mind and he recognized the voice of the 'hero' beyond the Veil. "Wait a minute– _Miroku_?" he asked, mouth dropping open. "Is that you?"

_"Yes."_ Miroku answered, and Shippo could hear the smile in his voice._ "I'm the _real _Miroku. The demon masquerading around in my body is the leader of the fallen angels, none other than Lucifer himself. He also goes by the name of Abaddon. He trapped me in this Spirit dimension, and I can't get back. You must warn everyone about his plans, before he replaces all of your souls with those of his servants, the fallen angels, or Onitenshi."_

"Okay, I'll try." Shippo promised, but then looked down. "But you _know_ Inuyasha won't believe me. He _never_ takes me seriously."

_"Well, then tell Kagome in front of him that she _did _hear my voice earlier, after I had supposedly left with Kohaku and Kirara. That should convince _both _of them nicely." _Miroku suggested, and Shippo cocked his head, but then nodded. He didn't know what the monk was talking about, but he would relay the message faithfully anyway.

_"Thank you, my friend."_ Miroku smiled, and although Shippo couldn't see it, he heard it in the man's tone and smiled back.

…

"How come I can't see you, Miroku?" Shippo asked a while later as he was running back to the village proper to find Inuyasha and Kagome. "I mean I can hear you just fine, but I can't see you. Not even a shimmer."

_"It's probably because you're still young."_ Miroku answered, pensive. _"Kirara can see and hear me as if I were right by her side, but she's a lot older than you and more experienced. I can only be 'detected' by demons and by those humans who possess great spiritual power, like Kagome or Lady Kaede. I'm grateful that you can simply hear me, Shippo. Not many can." _He chuckled suddenly. _"Kami knows Inuyasha can't."_

"Why? Because he's a half-demon?" the kit asked.

_"Well, that might be part of it, but it's mostly that he's never been good at reading subtle clues. That's more _my _area of expertise. And Kagome's." _he added thoughtfully.

"Inuyasha's too dim to sense you." Shippo giggled, and half a mile away, the hanyou in question sneezed, accidentally spilling half of the water out of his ramen cup. "Darn it!" the teen growled. "Somebody's talkin' about me, an' they're gonna regret making me sneeze!" he vowed under his breath.

"Oh Inuyasha, quit being so dramatic." Kagome chided, pouring more hot water into his favorite meal from a canteen that was heating on the fire. "There, see? No harm done."

The hanyou grinned somewhat sheepishly. "Thanks, Kagome. Uh– sorry about that." he half-apologized for his overreaction.

"Nah. No problem." the miko waved off his apology distractedly, still unnerved about the strange events of that morning. Little did she know that things were about to get even stranger.

* * *

><p><span>End of chapter (episode) 16<span>

Next chapter teaser: ?

That's one of your biggest flaws, Miroku, but it's also a strength, that you trust people too easily. And now, unfortunately, it's going to cost you.

I must confess that I 'borrowed' the names for two of the Onitenshi from the show 'Supernatural' on the CW. I might be borrowing some more, too. Just the names though. All credit for Supernatural goes to Eric Kripke and its other creators. The name Abaddon came from my copy of the Bible, as did Lucifer and 'Prince of Darkness'. All various names for the Devil.

So now people know about what Abaddon is planning, but the question remains if they will be able to stop him in time. I hope so!

Until next time!

Tsunami Storm


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